One Dead, Multiple Injured in Boat Crash with Ferry near Memorial Causeway Bridge
Tragedy struck on Sunday as a boat crashed into a ferry near the Memorial Causeway Bridge, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. The boat then fled the scene, leaving authorities scrambling to respond.
The Clearwater Police Department confirmed multiple injuries, prompting the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department to declare the incident a mass casualty event due to the high number of injuries. The ferry, carrying over 40 passengers, bore the brunt of the impact.
All injured individuals were on the ferry, which eventually came to rest on a sandbar south of the bridge. Rescue operations successfully evacuated all patients and passengers from the scene.
Details about the deceased individual were not immediately released by the authorities, nor was there information provided about the fleeing boat.
Emergency response efforts were swift, with multiple trauma alerts issued and helicopters transporting the most severely injured to local hospitals. Videos circulating on social media captured the urgency of the situation as first responders rushed to aid the victims.
As investigations unfold, the US Coast Guard and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will delve into the circumstances surrounding the tragic crash. Drivers are advised to steer clear of the Memorial Causeway area as authorities continue their work.
