At least six paddlers were hospitalized Tuesday after a group of kayakers collided with a ferry departing Pier 79 in Manhattan, NYPD officials said.
Six people were taken out of the Hudson River at Pier 79 on West 39th Street by NYPD, FDNY and the U.S. Coast Guard.Onevictim, an 18-year-old, was taken to Bellevue Hospital with severe arm injury and blood loss; five others are being treated for injuries including shoulder and back injury and a head laceration. “I think both people have a responsibility to stay out of the way of each other, ” an unidentified NYPD officer said when asked about “the rules of the road.”
The unidentified NYPD official from the 10th precinct told reporters nine paddlers and one employee of Manhattan Kayak Company, located on Pier 84, were out for a short paddle. Two of the eight kayaks were hit by a NY Waterway ferry on the north side of Pier 84 at about 5:45 p.m. causing multiple people to fall into the water. Police were on the scene within five minutes, NYPD said. NYPD sent divers to check for anyone who might still be in the water before holding a news conference.
Great work & quick response tonight by our #Harbor men & women rescuing 10 injured kayakers that collided w/ a ferry pic.twitter.com/XlXvIXm48y
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) August 31, 2016
Manhattan: 12th Ave & 46th St – Pier 84. Boat crashed into several kayakers. Multiple people in the water. NYPD Harbor req EMS forthwith.
— New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) August 30, 2016
Manhattan: 12th Ave & 46th St – Pier 84. Boat accident U/D; NYPD Harbor reporting 2 people possibly unaccounted for. Active water search.
— New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) August 30, 2016
#nypd and coast guard on scene with injured kayakers on the Hudson pic.twitter.com/EK0AbU0YvD
— Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) August 30, 2016
.@NYPDSpecialops is at Pier 79. They have pulled numerous kayakers from the water after getting hit by a ferry pic.twitter.com/GrtDdgCY7v
— J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) August 30, 2016
We believe as many as ten kayakers may have been hit by a departing ferry from Pier 79. Additional updates to follow from the scene.
— J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) August 30, 2016
NYPD & others will brief reporters from 40th & West Street outside of Pier 79 shortly. pic.twitter.com/58hhN63wMy
— J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) August 30, 2016