The 310 ft ferry was at the end of its 5 mile, 20 minute trip from Manhattan to Staten Island. Instead of docking, the ferry angled away from its berth and slammed into a concrete pier at full speed. The time was 3:21pm on a windy,fall day in NYC. As the concrete pier ripped into the ferry's main deck, passengers screamed and ran for cover. Many jumped into the water to avoid injury. The accident which took less than a minute left 10 dead and 71 injured. Among the dead was 44 year old John Healy who had survived the 9/11 attacks ( talk about bad luck).
It gets a bit weird here - the assistant captain was piloting the ferry - a man named Richard Smith. It has been determined that Smith was either sleeping or "passed out" as the ferry approached the ferry. NTSB has never been able to determine why Smith had not been in control of the ferry. Also, the senior mate at the time was seen reading a newspaper.
It gets better - Smith realizing the carnage he created, attempts suicide by slashing his wrists on the ferry just after the crash -He failed . Smith somehow slips away and heads home - at home he tries to commit suicide again by shooting hinself in the chest twice with a pellet gun - He failed.
here is the NTSB report:
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2005/MAR0501.pdf
cause of crash: Smith unexplained incapacitation.
cause of death: blunt force trauma
The City of New York tried to claim that the accident was "An Act of God". The courts disagreed and there are still lawsuits outstanding.
Smith pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in jail (no word on any further suicide attempts). here is an article on Smith trial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/nyregion/10ferry.html?ex=1294549200&en=a5888205a1c030cb&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
a look at the interior:
a memorial to the dead:
http://www.artaid.org/statenislandferry.html
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Originally Posted by Jazbabee
