A shipping incident near the Port of Miami has left 29 injured and more than a dozen hospitalized.
The accident occurred when two boats collided in the busy bay around 3:15 p.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said, as images from the scene showed some of the effects of the collision at sea.
Authorities later said they were sent to the location several miles from the seaport to transport survivors from the two ships to safety. One of the boats was confirmed to be the Thriller Speedboat, which transports tourists around the bay at speeds of 40mph.
The tour, according to its website, offers “the ultimate sightseeing experience” and, as its name suggests, is known for its daring speed paces.
As of Sunday at 9 p.m., no casualties had been reported, but the US Coast Guard has launched an investigation as the accident, for now, remains largely unexplained. Meanwhile, clips show how several had to be put on stretchers and airlifted to safety.
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A boat accident near the Port of Miami has left 29 injured and more than a dozen hospitalized, officials said.
The accident occurred when two boats collided in the crowd around 3:15 p.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said, as images from the scene showed some of the effects of the accident.
The patients were then moved to the coast, several miles from where the accident occurred, said Horacio Rodríguez, MDFR division chief.
He confirmed in a statement that the accident involved a Biscayne tour boat and another vessel, but did not provide details.
“There were other people inside the boat; it was a tourist boat, from Bayside,” he said as fire crews descended on the section of the dock known as the fishermen’s cut to respond to the crisis.
“Patients who had no complaints were taken back to Bayside,” the chief continued, revealing that paramedics transported a total of 13 patients to an area hospital.
The extent of his injuries, as of Sunday night, remains unclear.
Meanwhile, 7News camera crews confirmed that the Biscayne boat was the Thriller tourist and captured several units from Rodriguez’s apartment responding to the accident.
Clips captured by the media outlet showed how at least one of the victims was taken off the ship by helicopter and how several of those affected appeared to have notable injuries.
Officials later said they were sent to the scene to transport survivors from boats, one of which was the famous Thriller Speedboat (seen here), which travels at speeds of 40 mph.
As of Sunday at 9 p.m., no casualties had been reported, but the US Coast Guard has launched an investigation as the accident, for now, remains largely unexplained.
Meanwhile, clips show how several had to be put on stretchers and airlifted to safety.
The patients were then moved to the coast, several kilometers from where the accident occurred, MDFR officials said.
They confirmed in a statement that the accident involved a Biscayne tourist boat and another vessel, but did not provide details.
“Patients who had no complaints were taken back to Bayside,” officials said, before revealing that paramedics transported a total of 13 patients to an area hospital.
Horacio Rodríguez, MDFR division chief, said his agency and the Coast Guard are investigating the cause of the accident.
Officials at the time revealed that the other boat involved was private, but has not yet been identified. It is not clear if the occupants of that boat were also injured.
The tour, according to its website, offers “the ultimate sightseeing experience” and, as its name suggests, is known for its daring speed paces. The reason for the accident is currently being investigated.
Some, including the woman who had to be airlifted, appeared barely able to move, while others appeared to be fully conscious and able to follow first responders’ instructions.
In total, officials said, more than 30 units responded to the afternoon crisis.
That response included an air rescue and several fireboats, along with vessels from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Wildlife Commission.
Authorities have not indicated what caused the accident or provided details about what happened.
A few hours after the accident, said officials were filmed at a dock where they parked the Thriller boat involved in the accident, which appeared in surprisingly good condition despite the accident.
Officials at the time revealed that the other boat involved was private, but has not yet been identified. It is not clear if the occupants of that boat were also injured.
DailyMail.com has contacted Miami-Dade Fire Rescue for comment.