Distressing new audio revealed the moment a Clearwater ferry boat crashed in Florida, leaving one dead and at least a dozen injured, some of them seriously.
‘Mayday, mayday, mayday, there’s been a boat collision! The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,’ the controller was heard shouting as the two watercrafts collided.
Officials, who called it a ‘mass casualty’ accident, said a private boat struck the ferry near the Memorial Causeway bridge on Sunday night before speeding away from the scene.
The Clearwater Ferry was shuttling festivalgoers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people.
The private boat was found three hours after it fled the scene, police said.
The US Coast Guard said that on-scene reports indicated that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for.
All of those injured were aboard the ferry. The person who died has not been identified.
On Monday morning, the Coast Guard said a total of 12 people were taken to a local hospital.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Distressing new audio revealed the moment a Clearwater ferry boat crashed in Florida , leaving one dead and at least a dozen injured
The Clearwater Ferry (pictured after the crash) was shuttling festivalgoers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people
