Assistant captain at helm of NYC ferry that crashed, NTSB to interview crew and passengers

Assistant captain at helm of NY ferry that crashed

NEW YORK — New York City officials say the assistant captain was at the helm of a Staten Island ferry when it slammed into a pier over the weekend.

Federal investigators say they are interviewing assistant captain Maqbool (MUCK’-bool) Ahmed and other crew members. They’re also expected to talk to passengers who were on board for Saturday’s ill-fated trip.

City Department of Transportation spokesman Seth Solomonow said Ahmed was piloting the ship, with the captain of the vessel nearby on the bridge.

The National Transportation Safety Board has interviewed the chief engineer and some crew members of the ferry, which was carrying 252 passengers and about 18 crew members when it crashed at Staten Island’s St. George Ferry Terminal on Saturday.