NYC Ferry Crash Undergoing Investigation, Mayor Bloomberg Visits Pier
A commuter ferry ripped into lower Manhattan's Pier 11 at approximately 8:45 a.m. this morning causing a horrific accident that injured 57 people, leaving one of them in critical condition.
The passenger in critical condition is currently undergoing surgery at Cornell Medical Center for severe head injuries, according to police on the scene.
The ferry, known as the Seastreak Wall Street, normally travels from New Jersey to Manhattan and was carrying roughly 343 passengers with five crew members at the time of the crash.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Many of the now injured passengers were waiting on the ferry's stairs to leave the boat when it crashed into the dock, causing heavy damage to the starboard side of the ship.
Brett Cebulash, 50, a passenger on the ferry who was able to leave the boat without any serious injuries, described the crash to reporters on the scene.
"Everyone stayed calm [when the boat hit]. [Passengers] were obviously shook up. [Others] tried to help the people who were worst injured," said Cebulash. "There were people who ran into glass [and suffered serious] injuries."
He also stated that "normally" Seastreak provides "a great service" and he feels there may have been an issue when the captain attempted to shift the ferry into reverse.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident.
Both New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly visited the scene of the crash around 11 a.m. and Kelly followed with a brief press conference where he addressed the incident.
Seastreak Ferry Co. issued an apology for the accident.
"We regret to report that the Seastreak Wall Street struck Pier 11 near Wall Street while docking this morning at approximately 8:45 a.m," said the company. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those that were injured. Seastreak LLC will work closely with the Federal State and local authorities to determine the cause of the accident."
