Mega yacht hits pier, injuring 35 on cruise in New York City: officials

HARLEM, N.Y. (WPIX) – Hundreds of passengers had a frightening moment Saturday as the mega yacht they were sailing aboard on the Hudson River in New York City collided with a pier.

Officials said 35 people were injured in the incident, which is now under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the NYPD Harbor Unit.

“We were trying to dock and we were almost there , and then it was bang,” Carol Jones, a passenger, told Nexstar's WPIX. “I saw the front of the boat. It was tore up a little bit,” she added.

It was supposed to be a three-hour joyous cruise celebrating June birthdays and the start of summer.

But when a mega yacht called Timeless pulled into the West 125th Street pier, it slammed into the dock, and many of the 352 passengers on board went flying.

“People were taking pictures. They were dancing. And the next thing we knew, the boat was kinda like it was gonna tip over,” Sharon Thomas, another passenger, told WPIX. “People went flying. Chairs went flying,” she added.

At least 35 passengers were injured, including Regina Brown.

“I was standing. My whole side hit into the wall and I’m all bruised on my left side,” Brown told WPIX. “So when he hit the dock, I felt the impact as well,” she added.

“Twenty-two people were taken to local hospitals, mostly with slips and falls when the vessel hit, with contusions and things of that nature,” FDNY Deputy Chief Gregg Brady told WPIX.

Many other passengers were dazed and confused by the scary ending to what had been a fun afternoon, and they had many questions.

“They made no announcement about what was going on,” Myrna James, another passenger, told WPIX. “I’m gonna call Empire Cruises because I want to log a complaint because we should know what happened,” she added.

WPIX also called Empire Cruises for more information on what caused this accident but did not immediately receive a response.