New York City Commuter Ferry Crash Injures 57

Seastreak Wall Street Slams Into Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan During Morning Rush Hour

By Nicola Menzie, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Updated: 11:20 a.m.

An accident in lower Manhattan involving a commuter ferry injured 57 people during rush hour Wednesday morning, according to officials.

The ferry, named the Seastreak Wall Street, apparently experienced a hard landing as it attempted to dock before 9.a.m. at Pier 11. The impact created "a large gash on the starboard side of the bow," according to WABC-TV.

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The news station reports that dozens of people were being treated for injuries, while seven of those injures were viewed as serious. Another 25 persons were said to be in stable condition, with another 21 experiencing minor injures, according to WABC-TV.

One commuter told the local news station that the Seastreak Wall Street, which can hold up to 400 passengers, was carrying "hundreds of passengers."

"Nothing seemed like it was going to be out of the ordinary. There was once or twice where I was talking with a colleague where we actually thought it was coming in a little hot near Brooklyn, where we're not used to seeing it. Then the next thing we knew, you feel the jolt and then everybody goes flying," passenger Chris Avore told WABC-TV.

Another passenger told CBS New York, "All of the sudden, the boat felt like it smashed into a wall. Dozens of passengers got thrown out of their seats, got thrown forward. Some were heading downstairs and just flew down the stairs and hit their heads on various polls and walls."

There were reportedly a total of 343 people on board the Seastreak Wall Street, including five crew members, when it slammed into the dock.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident, and Pier 11 was immediately shut down after the crash. Local media report that the National Transportation Safety Board plans a full investigation.

Live video broadcast from Pier 11 showed dozens of emergency workers tending to victims, many of whom were covered by blankets and being transported on stretchers.