New York East River Ferry Accident Injures Ten
According to the New York Daily News, ten people suffered injuries on August 12 when an East River Ferry full of passengers made a hard landing at Pier 11.
The Daily News reported that the ferry was coming into the pier too fast when the accident occurred. One passenger said that the ferry actually slammed into the pier, which shook the vessel. “It seems like one of the engines broke so he couldn’t reverse. It just went straight to the pier. It was a big jolt,” one passenger said, according to the newspaper.
Another witness said small passengers including children were “flying in the air” during the incident. Two of the passengers aboard the ferry had to be transported to the New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital for treatment. Eight other passengers were treated at the scene of the accident.
Police are still investigating the accident.
Moving Forward Following a Ferry Accident
As we have reported in previous blogs, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began warning ferry operators last year that they needed to do more to keep passengers from suffering injuries.
As a passenger on a commercial vessel, your safety should be a top priority. Hard landings or issues during docking can result in people falling, tripping and falling overboard vessels. If you have been injured in a ferry accident, it is important that you speak to an experienced maritime attorney, as you could potentially seek damages.
Our maritime attorneys have filed lawsuits against commercial operators such as Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, Boston Harbor Cruises, Hy Line Cruises and Maine State Ferries.
For more information about ferry accidents and injury litigation, visit our Facebook or Twitter pages.
Latti & Anderson LLP – Nationwide Maritime Attorneys