Staten Island Ferry Crash

US federal investigators yesterday interviewed the crew and passengers on the Staten Island ferry Andrew J Barberi, which slammed into a pier injuring up to 37 people. The same vessel was involved in a fatal docking accident in 2003 killing 11 passengers.

The ferry smashed into a pier on Saturday morning as it approached the St George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island. It was carrying 252 passengers and 18 crew members on a routine run from Manhattan. Early reports suggested that the throttle failed to engage, which prevented the vessel from being slowed down. The ferry was moving at five knots, according to the early reports. Investigators said the two engines closest to the dock stopped functioning at the point of impact while the two rear engines continued to operate normally. It did not appear that anyone shut off the two forward engines. An initial underwater examination of the Voith Schneider propulsion system indicated no visible damage.

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