70 People Injured in Hong Kong Ferry Mishap

A high-speed catamaran ferry has slammed into a mooring pillar outside Hong Kong, injuring more than 70 people, including a 70-year-old woman who is in critical condition.

The ferry was carrying 140 passengers Friday when it struck the pillar on the island of Cheung Chau as it departed for the heart of the Chinese territory’s business district.

Passengers shown on local television described scenes of confusion, with people thrown to the floor and ferry seats buckling from the impact with the pillar. Hong Kong’s government says most of the injuries involved relatively minor bruises.

Hong Kong’s Marine Department has launched an investigation into the incident.

Hong Kong ferries makes hundreds of daily trips, linking the Chinese territory’s main island with outlying areas.