Woman hit by Disney ferry boat

[eeyoreguy]

WESH 2 News is reporting yet another Disney transport incident. This time Barbara Wormald and her husband, Michael, were driving a rented two-seat boat when they crashed into a ferry. Barbara was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center by ambulance where she was found to have a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and possible spine injury. She remains in the hospital at this time.

According to WESH 2 News, William Green was piloting the ferry and said he saw the smaller boat "traveling recklessly" toward him. It hit the ferry and he put his vessel into reverse. He saw the boat go under the ferry and come up again in front.

Husband Michael Wormald says the ferry backed out and he thought the ferry was going to move away from him and his wife. When he noticed it was coming straight at him, he tried to make a sharp right turn to get out of the way, but was unable to do so in time. He says the ferry "hit his wife and ran over the top of her, wedging her between the ferry and the small boat momentarily."

Either way, there certainly seems to be an increase in such incidents recently

[Tink]

Honestly? The way those little water craft are allowed to be piloted in the same water that the big ferries are on, is foolhardy.

Piloting any sort of water craft involves knowing the rules of the ocean (just as you need to know the rules of the road). People think they can get in the little boats (or larger ones) and just go where they please, at any speed, and without understanding right of way, how to overtake, pass, ect.

I'm surprised more incidents haven't happened.

I sure hope that poor woman is going to fully recover. I'll keep my opinion to myself regarding her husband.

[mumof2]

"the ferry backed out and he thought the ferry was going to move away from him and his wife"




What a dreadful, accident I hope the woman makes a good recovery.

[Tink]

Yeah huh? I am SO biting my tongue.

[mumof2]

yep, i can tell!

[arkvilla]

There seems to be lots of Disney related accidents lately - more than I've ever been aware of before

Sandra

[Tink]

I wonder if it's a true increase, or if Disney is just now being forced to report them all?

The boating accident happened several days prior to its being public information. Disney used to be well known for not giving out information that would make a negative impact on its image at all. Watchdog agencies took exception to that and they now have to start reporting certain events.

[catrancher]

I'm sorry but I've got to chime in here. The following is my opinion and my opinion only. It's worth exactly nothing! But here goes:

What was that person doing close enough to the ferry to get hit????

I'm sorry but small boat, big ferry. If I'm driving the small boat, I'm giving the big ferry a wide berth. Besides, the small boat can maneuver much faster than a ferry with all that inertia can even think about reacting!

Nope. Sorry... methinks something's fishy in Denmark on this one.

Tom (... big, small, big, small. Guess who wins!)

[uscwest]

This wasn't the 7 Seas Lagoon Ferry. According to the Orlando Sentinel it was one of the boats that runs between POR and DTD.

[catrancher]

This wasn't the 7 Seas Lagoon Ferry. According to the Orlando Sentinel it was one of the boats that runs between POR and DTD.

Granted. But still... it's a bigger, less maneuverable boat versus a smaller, more maneuverable boat. Never mind the Coast Guard small boat handling courses, common sense tells me to give a larger boat a fairly wide berth.

Tom (... red, right, returning!)