One person was killed and 10 others were hospitalized after a recreational boat collided with a ferry carrying dozens of people near the Memorial Causeway bridge in Clearwater on Saturday night, then fled the scene, officials said.
The crash occurred around 8:40 p.m. on April 27, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The ferry was returning from Clearwater Beach with about 45 people aboard, including two crew members, when it was struck from behind by a blue and white vessel. Six people were aboard the recreational boat.
Authorities said the injured were all on the ferry. Ten adults sustained injuries ranging from broken bones to head trauma. Initially, the Coast Guard reported 12 hospitalizations but did not clarify their conditions. Patients were transported to medical facilities in Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa.
During a Monday press conference, Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said 911 dispatchers could hear “horrific screaming” in the background of calls reporting the crash. The ferry crew’s quick response likely saved lives, he added.
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy described the crash site as a heavily trafficked area and confirmed that the ferry had not hit a sandbar. Instead, it was rear-ended by another vessel that fled before officers arrived.
The recreational boat was located about 3.5 miles south, near the Belleair Causeway. Both the operator and passengers were found onboard.
Clearwater EMS Chief Joseph Tedesco, who is also the acting deputy chief for Clearwater Fire & Rescue, said emergency responders faced a “mass casualty” situation, meaning there were more patients than available resources. Additional ambulances and transport vehicles were called in to manage the response.
“The rescue was especially challenging due to nighttime conditions and the water environment,” Tedesco said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is handling the criminal investigation. The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting an administrative review because the ferry is a Coast Guard-inspected vessel.
The investigation remains ongoing.
