Larkspur ferry slams into dock in S.F. — no one seriously hurt
A Larkspur ferry crashed into the dock at San Francisco’s Ferry Building Friday afternoon, causing frightened onlookers to run and scream while craning their cell phones to take video, but leaving the passengers and crew unscathed.
Fifty-three passengers were aboard the M.S. San Francisco when it arrived shortly before 2 p.m., attempting to tie up at its outer berth, said Priya Clemens, a spokeswoman for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, which operates the ferry.
“It appears there may have been some mechanical difficulty,” Clemens said, describing the moment when the large blue and white vessel nosed toward the building before sharply veering toward the dock. Video posted on Twitter shows some bystanders frantically running along the rainslicked pier behind the building, while others angle for a better look.
No major injuries have been reported, Clemens said. One worker on the boat had a bruised hip and one passenger complained about a sore back but refused medical attention. Though both the boat and dock were damaged, the incident “was not as bad as it could have been,” Clemens said, noting that the day after Thanksgiving was light for ferry service. Normally, the M.S. San Francisco is more crowded — it’s capable of holding 750 people.
At 6 p.m. the boat was still sitting at the dock with what appeared to be two gashes in its prow.
Crew members were taken off the ferry after the crash to be interviewed and drug-tested. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the crash. It’s still not clear how it will impact ferry service on Monday.