Clearwater Ferry hit by boat near Memorial Causeway in Florida

First responders in Clearwater, Florida, declared a “mass casualty incident” after a recreational ferry carrying over 40 passengers was struck by an unidentified boat that fled the scene near the Memorial Causeway Bridge. Two individuals sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to local hospitals, while all passengers were safely evacuated from the ferry, which came to rest on a sandbar. Authorities have alerted local hospitals and advised drivers to avoid the area as they investigate the incident and search for the fleeing vessel.