37 Injured in Staten Island Ferry Crash
Dozens of people were hurt when a Staten Island Ferry crashed into a dock at the St. George terminal on Staten Island about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the authorities said. The ferry was the Andrew J. Barberi, the same one involved in a 2003 crash that killed 11 people.
Thirty-seven people were injured in the crash Saturday, said Jim Long, a spokesman for the Fire Department.
Charles Rowe, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said 252 passengers and 18 crew members had been aboard the ferry. One woman was in serious condition with chest pains, and 17 people were taken to hospitals, Mr. Long said.
According to Mr. Rowe and Paul J. Browne, a New York Police Department spokesman, the ferry’s engines appeared to malfunction as the boat approached the St. George terminal from Manhattan.
In the 2003 crash, the captain, Richard J. Smith, passed out at the helm because he had been using pain medication. The Barberi was later recommissioned and put back into service.
Last July, a Staten Island Ferry crashed into the St. George terminal when it lost power before docking. There were 15 injuries.
On a much smaller scale, we experienced a tragedy on a local lake when a sailor who was a dear friend fell overboard on May 1st. Despite conditions that should have been ideal for a rescue, our friend disappeared into the depths of the lake. As one might imagine, such a loss has effects that spread far beyond the initial accident.
Sorry to hear of your loss. Your tragedy may have been the greater. Fortunately, at least this time, there were no fatalities when the ferry hit the dock.