Freighter-Ferry Collision Off Bahamas Kills 6

Reuters ^ | Sat August 2, 2003 01:00 PM ET

[yonif]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A cargo ship and a ferry boat collided off the Bahamian island of Eleuthera on Saturday, killing six people and injuring at least 16 others, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Rescuers from the Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and the Royal Bahamas Police were searching an area about 9 miles southwest of Eleuthera, where the collision took place, for other possible victims, the Coast Guard said.

The 98-foot ferry Sea Hauler and the 170-foot cargo vessel United Star collided before 1:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, the Coast Guard said in a written statement.

U.S. Coast Guard units responded to the accident scene from Miami and Clearwater, Florida and were searching the area with ships, an airplane and helicopters.

The United Star took some passengers and crew from the Sea Hauler on board and was towing the crippled ferry to Nassau, the Bahamian capital, the Coast Guard said.

Sixteen people were evacuated from the scene of the collision to medical facilities in Nassau, officials said.

[Sam Cree]

This area is something over 200 nautical miles from Miami, so I guess the USCG ships employed must have already been in the islands somewhere.

[ThirdMate]

I was just searching for updates, no word yet on cause of collision.

[ThirdMate]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/caribbean/sfl-0803cferry,0,1306354.story?coll=sfla-news-caribbean

This site has pictures and further details. The ferry was struck on the port quarter, looks like the cargo vessel was at fault, either by overtaking or not giving way to the crossing ferry.