damage to New Jersey side of main deck showing collapsed stairway to saloon deck, destroyed columns, crushed seats, ruined cei

​​View of damage to New Jersey side of main deck showing collapsed stairway to

saloon deck, destroyed columns, crushed seats, ruined ceiling panels, dislodged cables 

and fixtures, debris, and other destruction.

Allision of Staten Island Ferry Andrew J. Barberi

What Happened

About 1520 on October 15, 2003, the Staten Island Ferry Andrew J. Barberi, owned and operated by the New York City Department of Transportation, was near the end of a regularly scheduled trip from Manhattan to Staten Island when it allided with a maintenance pier at the Staten Island Ferry terminal. Fifteen crewmembers and an estimated 1,500 passengers were on board. Ten passengers died in the accident and 70 were injured. An eleventh passenger died 2 months later as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. 

What We Found

We determined that the probable cause of this accident was the assistant captainís unexplained incapacitation and the failure of the New York City Department of Transportation to implement and oversee safe, effective operating procedures for its ferries. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the failure of the captain to exercise his command responsibility over the vessel by ensuring the safety of its operations 


What We Recommended

​​As a result of its investigation, we made recommendations to: 

  • the New York City Department of Transportation, 
  • the U.S. Coast Guard, 
  • the States that operate public ferries, and 
  • the Passenger Vessel Association. 

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