Clearwater Ferry hit by boat near Memorial Causeway in Florida

First responders in Clearwater, Florida, were faced with a harrowing situation Sunday night as they declared a “mass casualty incident” after a recreational ferry carrying over 40 passengers was struck by a boat that fled the scene.

The Clearwater Police Department reported that the Clearwater Ferry was hit by another boat near the Memorial Causeway Bridge. While the exact number of injuries is unclear, all injuries were sustained by passengers on the ferry. The City of Clearwater stated that six patients were declared “trauma alerts,” with two of them being described as “seriously injured” and airlifted to local hospitals.

By 10:30 p.m. local time, all patients and passengers had been safely removed from the ferry. The city reassured the public that there were no reports of anyone missing from the ferry. The incident was classified as a mass casualty event by the fire department due to the high number of injuries. Helicopters were used to transport the most seriously injured individuals to medical facilities.

Following the collision, the ferry came to a stop on a sandbar south of the bridge. Authorities are currently investigating the boat that fled the scene after hitting the ferry. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are leading the investigation.

This breaking news story will be updated as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for further developments on this incident.