I cannot believe this,

[yellowperil]

What we're they thinking, where's the barriers, real barriers, not wheel chocks and a net.
I've been on a few car ferries and I can't believe they would allow this setup (pic)

[masraum]

Originally Posted by yellowperil

What we're they thinking, where's the barriers, real barriers, not wheel chocks and a net.
I've been on a few car ferries and I can't believe they would allow this setup (pic)

Good stuff. "don't worry, the stick and cloth will stop the cars."

[wildthing]

I read a bit but couldn't get any more information on the cause... Was the car in neutral? Was it in Drive and someone stepped on the gas? I know it's a 7min ride so I assume people stay in their cars, but are they supposed to be shut off and in Park + e-brake/handbrake?

[masraum]

Wait, you mean we're seeing an empty spot where there was a car and now there's a lame submarine?

Wow!

[Rikao4]

agree..
but one should know how to swim also..
especially if your up front..
windows down / seat belt of..

Rika

[craigster59]

I read that she didn't put the car in park, it rolled, she panicked and hit the gas instead of the brake.

When they found them they were embracing each other.

More here: https://www.foxnews.com/us/women-mercedes-submerged-florida-ferry-embrace

[masraum]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/20/florida-ferry-deaths-car-rolls-off-killing-women/4817369002/

A ritzy South Florida island community was in shock after two women died when a Mercedes-Benz rolled off a ferry into a shipping channel.

The Miami-Dade Police Department and U.S. Coast Guard are investigating how the blue car holding Emma Afra, 63, and Viviane Brahms, 75, fell from the ferry from Fisher Island to Miami Beach on Tuesday and ended up at the bottom of a 50-foot channel.

After the car submerged, dive crews with Miami-Dade fire and police searched for the women's vehicle. Both were dead when the vehicle was recovered, and the Herald reported they were found embracing.

The ferry totes cars to and from Fisher Island every day, according to the community association's website.

WSVN-TV reported that ferry workers typically place blocks under the tires of the vehicles they're hauling to prevent them from rolling. According to the Herald, thin netting is strung across the edge of the ferry to prevent cars from falling, rather than a metal barrier like the one on the Balboa Island ferry in Newport, California.

obert Sosa, president of the Fisher Island Community Association, told WFOR-TV the group was fully cooperating with the investigation and that safety was a top priority.

"The entire Fisher Island community mourns their loss and our hearts and prayers go out to the victims’ families during this very difficult time," the association said.

Fisher Island is "lauded for its exclusivity and privacy" with "some of the finest amenities in the world," the community association says on its website.

Afra, who lived on the island, was known as a prominent philanthropist who worked on child abuse and sex trafficking issues.

"Emma never took no for an answer, especially when it came to doing something that would help the children and families Kristi House serves. She put her blood, sweat and tears into making sure we had great success in our fundraising efforts," Amanda Altman, CEO of anti-child sex trafficking group Kristi House, said in a statement to WSVN-TV.

Brahms, also a socialite, from Harrison, New York, in Westchester County, was longtime friends with Afra, the Herald reported.

According to the Herald, the Fisher Island ferry has operated for decades largely without incident. In 1997, a woman was killed when her family's boat and the ferry collided, the newspaper reported.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said Tuesday's incident was a "jarring tragedy."

"The whole community is very shocked," he told WFOR-TV. "I have a lot of faith that the Coast Guard and cities in Miami Dade that are involved will get into a very thorough investigation to address this and make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

[wildthing]

Terrible tragedy then, but could've been prevented. Put it in Park at least, and better yet, turn off the engine, remove the key (forces Park in newer cars), and pull the hand brake/press the e-brake...

[Chocaholic]

This was two women, one late 60’s, one 75. It can happen. Terrible tragedy.

[Jeff Higgins]

Could it be they did this on purpose? Terrible tragedy for their families either way.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

This was two women, one late 60’s, one 75. It can happen. Terrible tragedy.

yeah

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Could it be they did this on purpose? Terrible tragedy for their families either way.

I wondered the same.

[LWJ]

Incompetence.

Lawsuits to follow.

[David]

No chocks in the picture. Gotta wonder if the attendants checked the lead cars before shoving off.

[ckissick]

"...thin netting is strung across the edge of the ferry to prevent cars from falling..."

Yeah, that'll work.

[fanaudical]

I've been on multiple ferries where wheel chocks (but only for those up front / in back) and a cable are the norm...

[svandamme]

Driver was to stupid to live
Ferry operators should know such drivers exist and act accordingly

[masraum]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Driver was to stupid to live
Ferry operators should know such drivers exist and act accordingly

Kind of harsh. Or, maybe they were really distracted.

The best of us can have a distracted moment that ends in irritation or at worst, some sort of grievous harm.

[svandamme]

no , i disagree.

you get on the boat
they tell you to put it in park
P
Even if you forget that crucial bit.
Even if they forgot to tell you

If you can't tell the difference between that big old brake pedal and the gas pedal in an automatic.
It's probably better you drive off a boat
then plow into a gas station as so often happens with old people who can't drive well no more.

You don't see those kind of accidents with Manuals.. It's really a unique problem with automatics,
because it allows people to drive who other wise wouldn't ave been able to.

If you are to stupid to realize that you have reaction time of a boiled carrot, and cannot respond to a VERY simple problem in a car, that requires you to do a VERY simple action.
then that's a problem for everybody

And distracted, well i'm sure there are plenty of dead pedestrians cyclists and innocent people dead because of distracted drivers, it's no different from a bad DIY.
if you get in a car, pay attention to what you are doing.

[white85carrera]

Thelma and Louise

[Chocaholic]

Doubt it. Just a simple mistake by two ladies out for a nice day. We’ve all made dumb mistakes. But no one deserves this.