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CNN Live At Daybreak

Ferry Crash Investigation Continues

Aired October 16, 2003 - 06:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The investigation goes on in New York. It centers around the pilot of a Staten Island ferry, one that slammed into a pier, killing 10 and injuring dozens of others. Of course, what makes the pilot even more intriguing is he tried to kill himself.
Live to New York Harbor and Michael Okwu.

And the ferries are running at this hour, right -- Michael?

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the ferries are running. In fact, it's a very quiet morning here on Staten Island, really belying the great tragedy that occurred yesterday, a very bizarre story with some very interesting twists, to say the least.

Fifteen hundred people were on board the Andrew Barberi, one of the famed Staten Island ferries, when it basically slammed into the pier here at St. George's Terminal in Staten Island. Some of the victims suffered severed limbs, some sought refuge by plunging into the water. There are details now coming out about some of the dead. Again, 10 people died. We understand now from the New York City Police Department that that was one woman and nine men, aged 25 to 52.

The crew has been tested for drug and alcohol use. The NTSB is telling us that they will slowly start coming out with some of those details in the coming days ahead.

In the meantime, the NTSB has officially taken over the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLEN ENGLEMAN, NTSB CHAIRPRSON: There are a lot of conflicting stories about what happened on the bridge yesterday. Obviously, there was a tragic accident that occurred, and we want to find out exactly what happened. We'll do that through a series of witness testimony. We'll begin our witness interviews today as well. We're working closely with the Coast Guard, with the borough of Staten Island, with the Department of Transportation and the mayor's office, and we want to thank them for their excellent cooperation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OKWU: In the meantime, city officials have done their best to get this ferry up and running. And, in fact, they've been running since early this morning. And that's a very important detail, because so many people here in New York actually rely on that ferry use, some 65,000 people using it every morning.

The winds are not as high as they were yesterday. That is still one of the very big questions in all of this: To what extent did the gale wind forces yesterday play in that tragedy?

And, of course, the captain, the master of the vessel, according to law enforcement sources, basically going back home yesterday to try to commit suicide. He slashed his wrists and also shot himself with a pellet gun. He is recovering at this point, being taken care of at a hospital. The NTSB officials say that at some point they are going to have to interview him to try to put the pieces here together -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, his suicide attempt brings up so many questions that I know you can't answer for us right now. But what can you tell us about this assistant captain?

OKWU: Well, we can't tell you much about this captain, other than the fact that he is in his 50s, he's been referred to as a veteran. So, one has to assume that he's been doing this for quite some time. But clearly, he was troubled, whether that was before the accident or afterwards, clearly what happened on that deck troubled him so extensively that he sought to do this to himself.

Obviously, the investigators will be trying to talk to him as soon as possible, but clearly that's going to be difficult, given his condition at this point -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We understand that. Michael Okwu reporting live from New York Harbor this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 16, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The investigation goes on in New York. It centers around the pilot of a Staten Island ferry, one that slammed into a pier, killing 10 and injuring dozens of others. Of course, what makes the pilot even more intriguing is he tried to kill himself.
Live to New York Harbor and Michael Okwu.

And the ferries are running at this hour, right -- Michael?

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the ferries are running. In fact, it's a very quiet morning here on Staten Island, really belying the great tragedy that occurred yesterday, a very bizarre story with some very interesting twists, to say the least.

Fifteen hundred people were on board the Andrew Barberi, one of the famed Staten Island ferries, when it basically slammed into the pier here at St. George's Terminal in Staten Island. Some of the victims suffered severed limbs, some sought refuge by plunging into the water. There are details now coming out about some of the dead. Again, 10 people died. We understand now from the New York City Police Department that that was one woman and nine men, aged 25 to 52.

The crew has been tested for drug and alcohol use. The NTSB is telling us that they will slowly start coming out with some of those details in the coming days ahead.

In the meantime, the NTSB has officially taken over the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELLEN ENGLEMAN, NTSB CHAIRPRSON: There are a lot of conflicting stories about what happened on the bridge yesterday. Obviously, there was a tragic accident that occurred, and we want to find out exactly what happened. We'll do that through a series of witness testimony. We'll begin our witness interviews today as well. We're working closely with the Coast Guard, with the borough of Staten Island, with the Department of Transportation and the mayor's office, and we want to thank them for their excellent cooperation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OKWU: In the meantime, city officials have done their best to get this ferry up and running. And, in fact, they've been running since early this morning. And that's a very important detail, because so many people here in New York actually rely on that ferry use, some 65,000 people using it every morning.

The winds are not as high as they were yesterday. That is still one of the very big questions in all of this: To what extent did the gale wind forces yesterday play in that tragedy?

And, of course, the captain, the master of the vessel, according to law enforcement sources, basically going back home yesterday to try to commit suicide. He slashed his wrists and also shot himself with a pellet gun. He is recovering at this point, being taken care of at a hospital. The NTSB officials say that at some point they are going to have to interview him to try to put the pieces here together -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, his suicide attempt brings up so many questions that I know you can't answer for us right now. But what can you tell us about this assistant captain?

OKWU: Well, we can't tell you much about this captain, other than the fact that he is in his 50s, he's been referred to as a veteran. So, one has to assume that he's been doing this for quite some time. But clearly, he was troubled, whether that was before the accident or afterwards, clearly what happened on that deck troubled him so extensively that he sought to do this to himself.

Obviously, the investigators will be trying to talk to him as soon as possible, but clearly that's going to be difficult, given his condition at this point -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We understand that. Michael Okwu reporting live from New York Harbor this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.