One person has died and multiple others are injured after a boat crashed into a ferry in Florida and then fled the scene – in what police have described as a “mass casualty incident”.
It happened near the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater at about 8.30pm local time, the US Coastguard said.
All the casualties were on the ferry, which was carrying 45 people including two crew members.
Six patients were “declared as trauma alerts” including two with serious injuries who were airlifted to hospital, the City of Clearwater said on X.
The Clearwater Fire Department declared the crash a “mass casualty incident” because of the number and severity of injuries.
The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the bridge and there is not thought to be anyone missing.
“The boat that fled the scene has been identified by another law enforcement agency,” the City of Clearwater said.
The collision happened at the end of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival, held on Clearwater beach.
Videos posted on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing.
Police had earlier cautioned drivers to avoid Memorial Causeway.