Staten Island ferry boat strikes pier as it loses power; authorities say dozens injured

Staten Island ferry slams into dock; dozens hurt

NEW YORK — National Transportation Safety Board officials say they will investigate various aspects of a Staten Island ferry that apparently had a mechanical failure before smashing into a pier, hurting dozens of passengers.

NTSB spokesman Terry Williams says alcohol tests on the crew came back negative and results of the drug tests are pending. The Andrew J. Barberi has been taken out of service, while officials try to figure out what happened.

NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt says investigators will look at crew interaction, the vessel’s navigation and propulsion systems, and its maintenance records.

The ferry is the same one involved in a 2003 crash that killed 11 people. But the ship underwent multimillion-dollar rehab before it was returned to service.