Florida Boat-Ferry Collision: 1 Dead, Many Hurt

A tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening when a private boat collided with a ferry off the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater, Florida, leaving one person dead and 12 others injured.

The Clearwater Police Department confirmed the fatality, stating that the individual who died was aboard the ferry, which was carrying more than 40 passengers at the time of the collision. Authorities have not yet released further details about the deceased.

All injuries were sustained by passengers on the ferry, while the boat responsible for the crash fled the scene immediately after the collision.

Following the impact, the ferry came to a stop on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway Bridge. All passengers and injured individuals were safely evacuated from the vessel.

The Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department declared the incident a “mass casualty event” due to the number of injured people, prompting multiple trauma alerts. Two of the more seriously injured individuals were airlifted to local hospitals via helicopter.

The local authorities have not yet disclosed the full extent of injuries, but video footage shared across social media showed first responders at the scene, working swiftly to assist the wounded and secure the area.

Police have urged drivers to avoid the Memorial Causeway area, which remained a hotspot for emergency activity well into the evening. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing. The US Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have been assigned to determine the circumstances of the collision and identify the boat that fled the scene.

This tragic event has left the local community shaken, and authorities are working diligently to bring clarity to the situation.

(with inputs from IANS)

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