Kreindler Monitoring Fatal Ferry Boat Crash in Florida

April 28, 2025

What Happened

On Sunday, April 27, 2025, at around 8:40 p.m., a ferry boat carrying festival and beach goers was struck by a recreational boat, which fled the scene just off the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater, Florida. A USA Today article reported that, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, the ferry was carrying about 45 passengers, including two crew members, and the other boat had six people on board.

The ferry involved in this fatal accident is a Clearwater Ferry vessel. Clearwater Ferry began operating in 2015 as a private service and was taken over by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PTSA) earlier this year. The ferry serves as a public water taxi, enabling passengers to bypass traffic on the Memorial Causeway bridge for a small fee.

In the Media

Preliminary Investigation

The New York Times reported that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation. Since the collision occurred in state navigable waters, general maritime law will likely govern fault. 

Kreindler’s Maritime Practice Experience

Kreindler maritime attorneys focus on wrongful death and serious injuries following a boating disaster. Our Maritime and Admiralty litigation experience includes several recent notable cases: 

• Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Tragedy - Partner Dan Rose named lead counsel for all personal injury and wrongful death litigation arising from the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse tragedy. The firm is playing a leading role in the claimants’ litigation committee, representing the victims and their families.
• Conception Scuba Dive Boat Fire - Kreindler maritime and admiralty law attorneys Daniel Rose and Kevin Mahoney are currently litigating one of the worst maritime disasters in California history relating to the September 2, 2019, fire on board a scuba diving vessel operated by the California company Truth Aquatics, Inc.

Experience in maritime and admiralty law will be critical in this matter. Kreindler’s 70 years of legal practice have encompassed a wide range of cases, including those involving injuries, plaintiffs, defendants, and litigation spanning over 50 different countries. No personal injury firm in the United States has handled more personal injury and wrongful death cases than Kreindler.