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Three die in Sydney ferry crash | Three die in Sydney ferry crash |
(about 2 hours later) | |
At least three people have been killed after a passenger ferry collided with a private boat beneath Sydney's Harbour Bridge, officials said. | |
Crew from the ferry leapt into the water to try to help those thrown overboard from the private boat, but a 14-year-old girl is still missing. | |
Twelve people were on the boat, most of them members of Australia's ice skating community in Sydney for a seminar. | |
The New South Wales ambulance service said eight people were injured. | |
One of the injured, former Olympic figure skater Liz Cain, had to have a leg partially amputated after she was rescued by her son. | |
Two of the dead were named as Australian figure skating judges Alan Blinn and Simone Moore. The identity of the third victim has not been released. | |
The missing girl was named as ice skater Morgan Innes. | |
Screaming for help | |
The collision took place at about 2245 (1245 GMT) on Wednesday when the HarbourCat Pam Burridge ferry reportedly ploughed over the 10m (33ft) long pleasure boat. | |
One witness, Clive Marshall, told local radio: "The boat basically just disintegrated. There were a couple of people hanging on to the wreckage. | |
"We had people in the water and bits of boat and the boat sinking and people screaming for their missing friends." | "We had people in the water and bits of boat and the boat sinking and people screaming for their missing friends." |
The head of Sydney Ferries, Rear Admiral Geoff Smith, backed the captain of the ferry involved in the accident. | |
He described him as experienced and highly regarded. | |
"He's very distressed and we're providing him with counselling support," he said. | |
Sydney harbour is busy with hundreds of boats and ferries every day, though fatal collisions are rare. | |
In January a ferry ran into a fishing boat, injuring a fisherman who later died. | |
This month the iconic Harbour Bridge marked the 75th anniversary of its opening. | This month the iconic Harbour Bridge marked the 75th anniversary of its opening. |