[TheFrog]

It sounds like it was thick fog. Both ships should have been watching the radar. I just don't see how this can happen with two large vessels with modern radar unless there are two men on watch who were not doing the right thing. They should have known long before they popped into visual range and taken appropriate actions.

per wbztv.com

Ferry & Coast Guard Cutter Collide

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (AP) ― A Block Island Ferry carrying 257 passengers collided with a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in dense fog about three miles north of the island Wednesday, but no one was injured, authorities said.

The ferry was on an hour-long run to Block Island from Point Judith, and the 140-foot cutter, a buoy tender named Morro Bay, was returning to its home base in New London, Conn., when the collision occurred about 12:15 p.m., the Coast Guard said.

Visibility at the time was about 200 yards, Petty Officer Etta Smith said.

Brad Barco, 28, of West Greenwich, said he was riding on the top, outside level of the ferry close to the front with his girlfriend. He said the fog was thick and the ferry captain was blowing his horn every five minutes when they saw the Coast Guard cutter appear about 100 feet off the left of the ferry.

Barco said both ships tried to avoid an impact and were able to slow down quite a bit before they collided.

"I knew we weren't going to be able to stop. I was like 'We're going to hit this thing.' And then it got closer, closer, closer. They started honking their horns back and forth. And before we knew it, we made impact," he said.

Barco described the collision as a sudden stop and a jolt. He said he and his girlfriend had sat down on benches and were able to brace themselves because they saw the cutter coming, but was surprised the staff did not alert passengers before the collision to prepare themselves.

"They probably didn't make an announcement until about 10 minutes after hitting the Coast Guard boat," he said.

Barco, a police officer, said some cars on the ferry shifted and had some minor damage.

The Block Island Ferry did not immediately comment except to call the collision a "minor incident" and to say there were no injuries.

Smith said the ferry had a 44-inch-long dent about 5 feet above the water line. It was escorted to Block Island by another Coast Guard ship and arrived about 2:30 p.m.