Authorities declare mass casualty incident after hit-and-run boat crash during Clearwater’s Sugar Sand Festival in Florida; search for witnesses continues.
Clearwater, Florida, April 28: One person has died and several others were seriously injured after a boat collided with a ferry carrying over 40 passengers near the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater on Sunday night, according to authorities.
The Clearwater Police Department announced that the crash, which occurred around 8:40 p.m. local time, was declared a “mass casualty incident” due to the number and severity of injuries. Six passengers were listed as trauma alerts, with two airlifted for emergency medical care. Tragically, one male victim succumbed to his injuries; his identity has not yet been released.
All injuries reported were sustained by passengers aboard the Clearwater Ferry, which was transporting attendees of the Sugar Sand Festival, a popular local event that concluded on Sunday, CNN reported.
One ferry passenger described the terrifying moment to ABC affiliate WFTS: “We were just enjoying the ride, and then all of a sudden we hear the first mate yelling, ‘Hey, hey, hey.’ And then we looked back and saw a big yacht just come through the boat.”
The boat responsible for the crash fled the scene with six people on board but was later located by another law enforcement agency, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and Clearwater Police, as reported by ABC News.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation into the incident. Authorities are urging witnesses or anyone with information to come forward to assist in the probe.