FDNY boat in crash that kills Belgian firefighter onboard

A Belgian firefighter taking a ride on an FDNY fireboat was killed when another vessel slammed into the ship, FDNY officials said Saturday.

FDNY’s Marine 1 Bravo was operating in the East River near Pier 11 at about 10 p.m. Friday when a charter boat collided with it.

The firefighter from Belgium was critically injured in the crash and died of his injuries at Bellevue Hospital, FDNY officials said.

Three other civilians and an FDNY firefighter on the boat were also rushed to Bellevue with minor injuries, the department said. It was not immediately disclosed who the civilians were and if they were also firefighters.

An NYPD boat responded to the scene and told the Coast Guard, a police source said. Cops also helped take some of the injured onto the nearest dock.

Marine 1 Bravo was damaged in the crash and was taken out of service. The boat is a small 33-foot rapid response vessel used for medical emergencies. It can go up to 45 miles per hour, according to a 2010 report on FDNY Marine Operations.

No injuries were reported on the other boat, identified by the Coast Guard as Honcho.

The Honcho is a fishing boat that docks at Brooklyn Bridge Park, according to the company’s website. Attempts to reach the boat owners were unsuccessful Saturday.

Both the FDNY and the Coast Guard were investigating the crash.

The name of the Belgian firefighter was not immediately released. The firefighter met FDNY officials a few years ago and maintained a friendly relationship, a source with knowledge of the incident said.

It was not immediately clear why the Belgian was on the boat or who authorized the Friday night excursion. Non-FDNY personnel are usually not allowed to ride on marine boats without the permission from the department, a second source said.