Boat Collision Near Clearwater Bridge Sparks Mass Casualty Response

A boat collided with a ferry near the Memorial Causeway Bridge on Sunday, injuring multiple passengers and prompting a swift emergency response, according to local authorities. The Clearwater Police Department announced on X that the incident, classified as a “mass casualty incident” by the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department, resulted in several injuries.

The ferry, carrying over 40 passengers, was struck by the boat, which subsequently fled the scene. The impact left the ferry stranded on a sandbar just south of the bridge. All passengers and injured individuals have been safely evacuated.

Details about the fleeing boat or the exact number of injuries were not immediately released by police. The department noted that local hospitals were alerted, with helicopters airlifting two of the most severely injured victims following multiple trauma alerts.

Social media footage captured a flurry of first responders, their vehicles’ lights flashing, as they rushed to the scene. Authorities have advised drivers to steer clear of the Memorial Causeway.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will conduct a joint investigation into the crash.