Local leaders were brimming with optimism for the Clearwater Ferry in February. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority had recently taken over the service, and already, more people were riding the ferry compared to before the pandemic.

The Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department declared the crash a "mass casualty incident" due to the number of injuries.

A ferry carrying 45 people and a private boat carrying six people collided near Clearwater, Florida, killing one person and injuring several others.