MBTA Ferry Runs Aground In Boston Harbor; 4 Injured

BOSTON (CBS) -- An MBTA ferry ran aground amid heavy fog in Boston Harbor Friday morning, injuring four people. The Lightning ferry that runs from Hull to Boston got stuck in shallow waters during low tide near Long Island Head, Massachusetts State Police said.

Boston EMS transported four patients and described their injuries as minor, though State Police said one was "potentially serious."

There were 84 people on board when the incident occurred at about 7:45 a.m. The MBTA said the ferry was headed toward Boston when it was "cut off" by a sports fishing boat. The Lightning's captain took action to avoid a collision, according to the T.

The Coast Guard responded along with Massport, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Boston police and the Boston Fire Department.

The ferry used the current to free itself from the bottom but it did sustain visible damage. According to the MBTA, a later assessment confirmed that no ocean water leaked into the bottom of the boat.

Passengers said the fog was so thick they could barely see out the windows, and then came the jolt. Some were thrown on impact.

"I heard a bunch of rocks grinding on the bottom of the boat and I braced myself, and then the boat came to a sudden stop when we hit a huge rock," passenger Craig Snyder said.

Everyone put on life jackets, and some on board were concerned about what would happen next.

"All of us didn't know if we were taking in water, but luckily we were in only three feet of water," Julia Patterson said.

Passenger John Silva tweeted photos of a Coast Guard boat responding to the scene. Video he took from the ferry shows the foggy conditions and low visibility.

"I can't say enough about the crew. For something that could have been very dangerous and scary, we all felt OK," said Monique Duarte.

The grounding is under investigation. According to the MBTA, the fleet has backup ferries, so service is expected to continue uninterrupted.

The Lightning was docked in Charlestown late Friday. It is scheduled to move to Gloucester on Saturday, under its own power, for repairs.