One dead after recreational boat strikes Clearwater Ferry

• Both vessels were heading east and were approaching but not yet in a minimum- or no-wake zone, officials said.
• Investigators had made no arrests and hadn't taken anyone into custody as of Monday afternoon. Six people were on the recreational boat and 45 passengers and crew, including some children, were aboard the ferry.
• The operator of the recreational boat cooperated with authorities and voluntarily took a breath test that showed no alcohol in his system, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Capt. Matthew Dallarosa told reporters.

The latest: FWC identified Jeff Knight, the 62-year-old owner of Jannus Live, as the operator of the recreational boat, per the Tampa Bay Times.

• The person who died was reportedly identified as Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor.

What they're saying: Knight's attorney, J. Kevin Hayslett, in a statement to the Times called it a "heartbreaking situation for everyone involved" but declined to further comment on the incident "[o]ut of deep respect for Mr. Castro's family, and for the many others who were injured."

Between the lines: While police initially called the crash a hit-and-run, FWC investigators said they were working with prosecutors to determine whether it legally meets that definition.

• The video shows that the recreational boat stuck around the area for some minutes after the crash, but it left the scene before law enforcement arrived, Dallarosa said.
• Law enforcement made contact with the boat about 3.5 miles south at the Belleair Causeway boat ramp.

The big picture: Authorities stressed that an investigation of this scale, with dozens of witnesses and multiple 911 calls, will take time to conduct.

• The scene Sunday night was chaos, Clearwater police and fire officials said. Passengers could be heard screaming in the background of 911 calls. Good Samaritan boaters shuttled victims to help while other passengers trudged through shallow waters toward shore.
• Clearwater Fire and Rescue responders, confronted with the sheer volume of people, originally called the crash a "mass casualty event," which EMS chief Tony Tedesco said means that there were more potential victims than resources to handle the scene.

What they're saying: "That's the complexity of an event of this magnitude, as well as when it involves boats like this," Dallarosa said.

• "Every piece of evidence tries to float away, we're dealing with a late night, and we've got a lot of people to deal with."

Context: The ferry service, operated by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, shuttles passengers between downtown Clearwater and the Clearwater Beach Marina as an alternative to waiting in traffic on the oft-congested causeway.

• Ferries operate Thursday through Sunday, starting at 10am at the marina and wrapping up with a final stop downtown at 11pm. Tickets cost $2.50 one way.

What's next: FWC and the U.S. Coast Guard, which handles investigations involving commercial vessels, will survey both boats to ensure they had proper lighting and that all state and federal regulations were followed.

• "If a hit and run occurred here … we're committed to working those charges all the way through," Dallarosa said.
• "To the fullest extent of the law, we'll prosecute any crime that is discovered."

Editor's note: This story and its headline have been updated to include additional information and to reflect that, despite initially calling the crash a hit-and-run, police now are unsure if it meets the legal definition.