At least five people were injured when a high-speed ferry hit a jetty while entering Hyannis Harbor, Massachusetts, in the evening hours of June 16, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) informed.
The Massachusetts Steamship Authority ferry Iyanough, which operates on the route Nantucket-Hyannis, struck the jetty and grounded on the rocks.
The USCG teamed up with local responders late Friday and early Saturday (local time) to rescue 55 people stranded aboard the ferry.
A USCG helicopter crew medevacked five injured passengers and airlifted ten uninjured people who were unable to navigate the jetty’s rocks to get aboard the response boats.
Response boat crews rescued the remaining passengers and ferry crew members.
“Rough seas and strong winds overnight challenged responders, but with the help of our local partners, our boat and air crews were able to get all passengers to safety,” Lt. Cmdr. Matt Baker, the Chief of Incident Management at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England , said.
As disclosed, six people, including the ferry’s captain, engineer, and Coast Guard marine inspectors have remained aboard Iyanough.
A tugboat and a commercial towboat company have also been on scene.
The USCG said it will work with the Steam Ship Authority to assess Iyanough’s damage and ensure safe navigation in the area.
The cause of the grounding is under investigation.