Dozens of passengers hurt in New York ferry crash

A passenger ferry in New York full of commuters crashed into a dock in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning. Officials say 57 people were injured, two critically and nine seriously.

The ferry which had come from New Jersey had more than 300 people on board. Passengers were thrown from seats, into walls and down stairs when it slammed into the pier.

What caused the collision is not known.

Dee Wertz, an eyewitness to the ferry accident, said: “I was talking to one of the employees and he was telling me that none of these guys like this boat, the captains, because it has something different, it’s not jet propelled or something, and as he said that, literally, the front of the boat hit the corner of the barge.”

The ferry, built 10 years ago, is said to have recently had an overhaul. Records reportedly suggest the same boat had been involved in previous accidents.

Manhattan has several commuter lines for boat passengers. Another New York ferry disaster in 2003 killed 11 people, while three dozen were injured in a boat accident three years ago.

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