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Mayor Bloomberg inspects the damage after the commuter ferry slammed into Pier 11. A large hole can be seen in the front of the boat after the crash.
Commuters aboard the same ferry service that crashed one day earlier enjoyed a smooth — and seated-at-all-times — sail into Manhattan this morning.
Passengers returning to the Highlands-to-New York journey said they had no worries riding the Seastreak ferry and noticed virtually everyone stayed in their chairs until the craft came to complete stop in Manhattan.
Yesterday, an out-of-control ferry carrying more than 300 commuters slammed into a lower Manhattan dock , tossing terrified passengers like rag dolls into walls and down staircases and leaving 93 people injured.
Sun Media / Splash News
The damage to the Seastreak yesterday.
PHOTOS: SEASTREAK FERRY CRASHES INTO PIER 11
RIDER'S FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF FERRY CRASH
CAPTAINS WORRIED OVER PROPULSION SYSTEM
“Everyone remained seated at the end --normally people rush to get off first." said commuter Darren Srikumpol, 37, just after pulling into Pier 11.
Atlantic Highlands resident Julie Mahoney, 38, said she too noticed how passengers weren’t in such a rush to sprint off the boat.
“It [today’s commute] was very smooth, but at the end no one stood up or rushed to get off the boat, a first,” said Mahoney, adding that yesterday’s smash-up was the talk of this morning’s ride.
“There was a lot more chatter than usual because people were talking about it. When you take it everyday it's part of your daily commute. It's part of the reason I moved to Atlantic Highlands.”
Federal investigators are probing whether a mechanical failure caused the Seastreak Wall Street to crash into Pier 11 at about 8:45 a.m., sending 93 passengers to hospitals — two of them in critical condition — and ripping a giant gash in the ship’s bow.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, which evoked memories of the horrific 2003 Staten Island Ferry wreck that killed 10 people and injured 59.
Passenger Michael Dean said he believes a slower exit off the boat will be the new normal.
“I think more people will stay in their seats from now on,” said Dean, who went flying yesterday but escaped virtually injury-free.
“I was gathering my stuff facing my chair. When we hit land, the crash lifted me up and threw me into a row in front of me. I was literally in the air. I got knocked around but I decided to see my own doctor in New Jersey to get checked out. I’m a bit stiff but I’m fine."
Commuters on board today chalked up yesterday’s violent docking as an aberration.
“I appreciate that the boat feels slower today, especially docking this morning,” commuter Sheila Carson, a Monmouth Beach resident and JPMorgan Chase attorney.
“Today is business as usual. We have jobs to do and the ferry is how we get there."
Dean, a 46-year-old financial analyst from Middletown, called yesterday’s crash a “freak accident.”
"I’m feeling no apprehension at all,” Dean said during his commute. “I think it was a freak accident. I think it was something mechanical. These crews are so professional. The crew and captain are great guys.”
Srikumpol said he has no beef with ferry operator despite yesterday’s crash.
He went as far as urging injured passengers to reconsider the lawsuits that will inevitably be filed.
“I hope they don't get sued,” he said. “This is a chance occurrence and I'd hate for this service to be shut off because of this litigious society.”
Additional reporting by David K. Li
