Jul 10, 2007 6:40 pm US/Eastern
Commuter Ferries Collide In Boston Harbor
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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The Massachusetts has front end damage, including a gash about 3 1/2 feet long and a broken window.
WBZ
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The Laura has an estimated $10,000 in damage.
WBZ
The Coast Guard is now looking for a third small boat that may have been involved in a collision of two MBTA commuter ferries in foggy Boston Harbor this morning. Neither vessel took on water and no one was seriously hurt.
The Massachusetts, inbound from Hingham with 151 passengers and three crew members on board, collided with the outbound Laura, which had four crew members on board, at about 7:30 a.m., Petty Officer Zach Zubricki said.
The collision occurred in an area called the Reserved Channel near South Boston. It was not immediately clear how fast the boats were traveling, but Mark Odell, a passenger on the Massachusetts, said the vessel was going slower than normal because of thick fog that made it impossible to see more than 10 or 15 feet.
Other passengers said a small pleasure boat passed near the Massachusetts just before the crash. There was apparently one person on that boat, which has not been located.
"I looked to my port side and thought to myself 'Oh my goodness we almost hit that vessel,'" said passenger Paula Marcangelo. "It was a small skiff about 20 feet with an outboard."
Emergency medical services met the Massachusetts at Rowe's Wharf, Zubricki said. One man suffered cuts on his fingers but refused medical attention, MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.
The Massachusetts had visible damage, including a gash about 3 1/2 feet long and a broken window near the bow. The Laura suffered an estimated $10,000 in damage, Pesaturo said.
"We were chugging along and we just heard this big smash," said Odell, 37, of Hingham, an equities trader at Canaccord Adams.
"There wasn't a lot of shake up, there were a couple shrieks and screams, but I'd say it was calm all things considered," he said. "I was never in fear that the boat was going down."
The crew immediately started distributing life vests, Odell said, adding that he'd continue taking the ferry to work.
Both boats were taken out of service, but Pesaturo did not anticipate a service interruption between Boston and Hingham.
The Coast Guard said the weather could be a factor.
"The fog is thick and visibility is terrible," Zubricki said.
The boats are privately owned, but contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for commuter services. The 101-foot Laura is owned by Boston Harbor Cruises and the 88-foot Massachusetts is owned by Massachusetts Bay Lines Inc.
Boston Harbor Cruises deferred questions to the MBTA.
Massachusetts Bay Lines said its crew acted quickly to ensure its passengers were safe and the vessel was secure.
"Massachusetts Bay Lines is fully cooperating with officials from the United States Coast Guard, the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the city of Boston to provide any information relevant to determining the cause of the incident," the company said in a statement.
According to the MBTA, ferries will run under a normal schedule on Wednesday, July 11. The Salacia (600 passenger capacity) and the James J. Doherty (350 passenger capactiy) will replace the Massachusetts and Laura.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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