There are a lot of questions on Middle River after a 27-foot powerboat collided with a 70-foot party boat taking passengers out for a cruise Saturday evening.
The Baltimore County Police Marine Unit and the Coast Guard are both investigating the incident. County Police tell us that the call came in at 8 p.m. It happened at the mouth of Middle River, near the Baltimore Yacht Club and Eastern Yacht Club. The area is a 25-knot zone after dark.
A dark blue-hulled, 27-foot Formula was coming into Middle River from the general direction of Hart-Miller Island. The 70-foot, steel-hulled pleasure cruise boat Anticipation V, operated by Maryland Party Boat, left its home marina at 7 p.m. for a three-hour cruise. It had 39 people aboard, police say—36 passengers and three crew members.
“The recreational vessel circled the commercial vessel, then came back and struck the front left area on both the recreational and commercial vessels,” says Baltimore County Police spokesperson Joy Lepola-Stewart. The two vessels made contact port bow to port bow, she further explains.
Both vessels had running lights lit and the commercial vessel shone its spotlight and sounded its horn as a warning signal, but the Formula did not adjust its course. Police say the Formula was traveling at a higher rate of speed than the Anticipation V.
Two people were aboard the Formula, and both were injured in the collision. They were transported to two different trauma hospitals, but their injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.
No one reported being hurt on the party boat. A representative of Maryland Party Boat says it was fortunate that it’s late in the season and only 39 people were on board. If it were at the peak of summer, there would normally be 100-120 passengers. Some of them would likely have been standing near the area where the boat was struck.
While there was visible damage to both vessels, neither was at risk of sinking. The party boat was able to return to its dock under its own power, while the Formula needed a tow from Chesapeake Marine, a Baltimore County licensed tow/salvage company.
Maryland Party Boat says because the damage to its steel hull was above the water line, the Coast Guard determined it is structurally safe and still able to operate (as long as passengers avoid the port bow area). Repairs will take place as the season slows down. There are no official estimates yet, but the company believes that Anticipation V is looking at at least $100,000 in damage.
An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the crash. Police and Coast Guard investigators will look into several factors, including the possibility of alcohol being involved.
