One person is dead and several others left injured after a boat rammed into a ferry off the Memorial Causeway Bridge, Florida, on Sunday and then fled the scene.
The Clearwater Police Department posted on X multiple injuries have been treated. The crash had been declared “a mass casualty incident” by the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department due to the number of injuries, later estimated to be six people requiring first aid attention.
Two of the more seriously injured being have been transported by helicopter to hospitals, the City of Clearwater said in a post on X.
Forty people were aboard the stricken vessel.
The crash involved the Clearwater Ferry, which had more than 40 people on board. All of the injuries are from the ferry. The boat that struck the ferry fled the scene. The @USCG and @MyFWC will be handling the crash investigation. https://t.co/yPyazF6zLb
— Clearwater Police Department (@myclearwaterPD) April 28, 2025
AP reports the ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge and all passengers along with crew have been removed.
Police did not immediately provide any information about the boat that fled the scene.
“All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured,” the post said.Videos on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — BOAT CRASH ... The City of Clearwater says multiple injuries have been reported after a boat crash near the Memorial Causeway bridge. Officials say Clearwater Police and Clearwater Fire and Rescue are on scene following a call at 8:43 p.m. pic.twitter.com/GcgBkmAIUF
— .*Funkytown™*. (@01Funkytown) April 28, 2025
The U.S. Coast Guard and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will investigate the fatal incident.
A spokesperson for the Clearwater Ferry confirmed to NBC News the vessel was in an accident Sunday but declined to provide further information, citing the ongoing investigation.
The boat that fled the scene has been identified by another law enforcement agency and an investigation was underway, Reuters reports.
Clearwater is about 23 miles northwest of St. Petersburg.
