One dead and 10 injured after hit-and-run boat crash in Florida
- Published
One person has died and at least 10 others were injured after a boat crash in the city of Clearwater, Florida, police have said.
The Clearwater Ferry, which had 45 people on board, including two crew members, was struck by a boat which then left the scene. The boat was later identified by another law enforcement agency, Clearwater government officials said.
City officials asked for any witnesses to the crash to contact authorities.
The city's fire department declared a mass casualty event because of the "number and severity of injuries". Clearwater police said 10 people were hurt in the crash.
Earlier the US Coast Guard said 12 people had been taken to a nearby hospital.
All of the injuries involved people aboard the ferry, which came to rest on a sandbar. Officials said two of the victims were seriously injured.
In video of the crash released by police on Monday, a boat was seen rapidly approaching the ferry from behind before the collision.
Police also released a recording of an emergency call where someone can be heard saying: "Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision."
Police responded at 20:43 local time on Sunday (00:43 GMT on Monday).
At a news conference on Monday, officials said the recreational boat that crashed into the ferry was found about 3.5 miles (5.6km) from the crash scene.
The operator of the recreational boat was co-operating with authorities, and a breathalyser test showed they were not drunk at the time.
Investigators are determining whether any charges will be filed in the case.
Witnesses told local media outlets that the boat shattered the back of the ferry and left a huge dent. Nearby boaters used their own vessels to take a number of the ferry passengers to safety.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will handle the crash investigation, helped by the Coast Guard.
Clearwater is on Florida's west coast, near the cities of Tampa and St Petersburg. The ferry takes passengers from Clearwater's downtown to a popular beach. The crash happened on the last day of a local sand sculpture festival.