All language subtitles for Disasters.at.Sea.S02E06.Death.on.the.Staten.Island.Ferry.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

A 22-MINUTE TRIP
ON A STATEN ISLAND FERRY...

EVERYBODY BACK!

...ENDS IN DISASTER.

IT SOUNDED LIKE A BOMB
EXPLODED ON THE BOAT.

EVERYTHING WAS JUST
COMPLETELY WIPED OUT.

EVERYONE, THAT WAY!

CHAOS AND TERROR.

AM I LOOKING FOR SOMEONEWHO MIGHT HAVE SET A BOMB OFF?

ACTS
OF SELFLESS HEROISM.

HELP!

WE GOT
SOMEBODY UNDER HERE!

AND A
RACE TO FIND THE TRUTH.

THE PRESSURE IS ALWAYS ON.

WAS IT A TERRORIST ATTACK?

...UNTIL ONE TIP.

THE
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SAID THAT?

...BREAKS THE CASE.

FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER HEARD

ANYTHING LIKE THAT
IN ANY INVESTIGATION.

-MA'AM ESCAPE!
-AH!

COME ON!

MANHATTAN
IS A PEOPLE MAGNET.

IT HAS A POPULATION
OF 1.5 MILLION,

AND ABOUT TWO MILLION MORE

COME TO VISIT OR
WORK EVERY WEEKDAY.

MANY OF THEM TRAVEL VIA THE
STATEN ISLAND FERRY SERVICE.

THE FLEET CARRIES MORE THAN
60,000 PASSENGERS A DAY.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
ICONIC SYMBOLS WE HAVE IN,

NOT ONLY NEW YORK, PROBABLY
IN THE UNITED STATES.

A BIG ORANGE BOAT THAT
FLOATS BACK AND FORTH

CARRYING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

THE TRIP
ACROSS NEW YORK HARBOR

FROM MANHATTAN TO STATEN
ISLAND TAKES JUST 22 MINUTES.

AND NEW YORK CITY'S
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

KEEPS UP TO FIVE FERRIES IN
SERVICE AROUND THE CLOCK.

PASSENGERS RIDE FOR FREE
AND GET TO SEE THE SIGHTS.

I HAD BEEN TAKING
THE FERRY SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

AND I LOVED THE FERRY.

YOU SEE ALL THE TUGS AND THE
BOATS, AND THE CRUISE SHIPS

AND THE VERRAZANO BRIDGE.

IT'S GREAT.

OCTOBER 15TH, 2003.

THE ANDREW J. BARBERI,
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHIPS

IN THE STATEN ISLAND FLEET,
IS GETTING READY TO LEAVE

MANHATTAN'S WHITEHALL TERMINAL

FOR ITS THREE O'CLOCK SAILING.

CAPTAIN MICHAEL GANSAS
IS IN CHARGE.

WINDY DAY.

HIS CREW OF
14 INCLUDES RICHARD SMITH

AS ASSISTANT CAPTAIN.

VISIBILITY'S
PERFECT, THOUGH.

SMITH, AN
EXPERIENCED MARINER HIMSELF,

WILL BE AT THE HELM
ON THIS CROSSING.

THERE'S A LOT
OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT THESE

CAPTAINS AND CREW HAVE TO
DEAL WITH,

IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
CARRYING HUMAN LIFE ON BOARD.

THE BARBERI
CARRIES 6000 PASSENGERS

DURING PEAK TIMES.

BUT RUSH HOUR IS JUST STARTING.

ON THIS TRIP,
THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 1500,

THE FIRST WAVE OF
COMMUTERS HEADING HOME

TO STATEN ISLAND AFTER WORK.

AUDREY BIASE IS ONE OF THEM.

THAT EARLY GROUP
THAT I WAS WITH,

WERE ALL THE WORKERS,
THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS,

BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION, YOU
KNOW, STARTS SO EARLY.

IT'S
BARELY TWO YEARS

SINCE THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER WAS DESTROYED

IN A TERRORIST ATTACK.

AND THE CITY, WITH
ITS ALTERED SKYLINE,

IS ONLY STARTING TO RECOVER.

THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN
AREA WAS STILL A MESS.

WE HAD A LOT OF SCARES GOING
ON, A LOT OF SUBWAY SCARES.

IT WAS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT
TIME TO BE IN NEW YORK.

HEY FRANKIE,
WANNA FIND A SEAT?

ELECTRICIAN
HENRY BENNUDRITI

IS A SEASONED REGULAR
ON THIS ROUTE.

I TOOK
THE FERRY EVERY DAY,

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY,
I'D SAY, FOR YEARS.

AND YOU SEE THE
SAME PEOPLE DAILY.

BUT THERE WAS NEVER
ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

OF SEEING EACH OTHER EVERY
DAY, NOT EVEN A NOD OF A HEAD.

BUT TODAY,
AMONG THE HUNDREDS

OF OTHER PASSENGERS, HENRY'S
BUMPED INTO AN OLD FRIEND

HE HASN'T SEEN IN YEARS.

I KNEW FRANKIE
SULLIVAN FOR A LONG TIME.

HE WAS AN APPRENTICE
WHEN I FIRST MET HIM.

FRANKIE WAS JUST GONNA
BE MARRIED 20 YEARS,

IT WAS GONNA BE HIS
20TH ANNIVERSARY.

AND HE WAS ONE OF THE
NICEST GUYS YOU WANNA KNOW.

I'M HEADING TO THE OTHERSIDE, SHE'S ALL YOURS.

GOT IT,
SEE YOU SHORTLY.

ONCE
IT LEAVES MANHATTAN,

THE BARBERI WILL NAVIGATE
AROUND GOVERNOR'S ISLAND

AND THEN HEAD SOUTH-WEST

TO THE ST. GEORGE
TERMINAL ON STATEN ISLAND.

THE ANDREW BARBERI
TRAVELS BACK AND FORTH

BETWEEN THE TWO
TERMINALS ALL DAY LONG,

BUT IT NEVER HAS TO TURN AROUND.

THE FERRY IS
COMPLETELY SYMMETRICAL.

IT EVEN HAS TWO
IDENTICAL PILOT HOUSES,

ONE ON EACH END OF THE SHIP.

ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SMITH
IS COMMANDING

FROM THE STATEN
ISLAND PILOT HOUSE.

FOR THE TRIP BACK,
THE MANHATTAN END

WILL BECOME THE
FRONT OF THE SHIP,

AND CAPTAIN GANSAS
WILL TAKE CONTROL.

ONCE THE PASSENGER
DECKS HAVE BEEN SECURED,

A DECKHAND COMES UP
TO SERVE AS A LOOKOUT.

AN EXTRA PAIR OF EYES,
TO SCAN THE HARBOR.

NEW YORK'S ONE OF THEBUSIEST PORTS ON THE EAST COAST.

IT'S A VERY, VERY BUSY PORT
WITH COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC.

SO YOU NEED TO BE
ON TOP OF THAT.

-ANY TRAFFIC?
-ALL CLEAR.

A LOOKOUT IS A PERSON
THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE

EXACTLY WHAT IT
SAYS, LOOKING OUT.

AND MAKING SURE THAT THE
VESSEL STAYS OUT OF HARM'S WAY.

THAT'S FULL AHEAD.

DOWN BELOW,
THE CHIEF ENGINEER

KEEPS AN EYE ON THE ENGINES.

SEVEN MINUTES INTO THE
VOYAGE, THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

TAKES THE FERRY PAST THE
ROUTE'S MOST FAMOUS LANDMARK,

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY,

YOU CAN'T GET ANY
CLOSER THAN THAT,

UNLESS YOU GO EXACTLY TO
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY,

SO IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

LIKE MANY OF THE
REGULAR COMMUTERS ON BOARD,

AUDREY BIASE RELAXES
INTO HER ROUTINE.

I LIKED TO SIT BY THE
BEAM, SO THAT I COULD SLEEP.

I COULD LEAN AGAINST IT,
AND NOD FOR TWENTY MINUTES.

POLICE
OFFICER JOHN DOWNEY

LIVES AND WORKS
ON STATEN ISLAND.

IT'S UNUSUAL FOR HIM TO
BE CROSSING THE HARBOR

DURING THE WEEK.

I WAS TESTIFYING
ON A SEARCH WARRANT

IN THE MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT

AND I DECIDED TO TAKE
THE FERRY BACK TO STATEN ISLAND

BECAUSE I WANTED TO
GET BACK TO MY COMMAND,

AND HEAD HOME THAT DAY.

THE BARBERI
IS NOW ROUGHLY HALF-WAY

THROUGH ITS VOYAGE.

THE SENIOR MATE COMES
UP TO THE PILOT HOUSE.

IT'S HIS JOB TO
SUPERVISE THE DECKHANDS

WHILE THEY HELP THE
PASSENGERS GET ON AND OFF.

NOW THAT THE FERRY'S UNDERWAY,

HE CAN BREATHE A LITTLE EASIER.

HOW'D IT GO?

NO PROBLEMS.

FIFTEEN MINUTES IN.

APPROACHING THE KV
BUOY, JERSEY SIDE.

YEAH, GOT IT.

THE KV
BUOY MARKS THE ENTRY

INTO THE KILL VAN KULL CHANNEL.

AND THE APPROACH TO THE
STATEN ISLAND FERRY TERMINAL.

THAT'S WHEN THE VESSEL
SHOULD BE SLOWING DOWN

AND THEY'RE GONNA
MAKE THE APPROACH

INTO THE SLIP AND
TIME TO GO HOME.

A FEW
MINUTES FROM NOW,

WHEN THEY APPROACH THE TERMINAL,

THE FERRY WILL HAVE TO PULL
IN TO ONE OF THE NARROW SLIPS.

ON A WINDY DAY LIKE TODAY,

THAT WILL TAKE SOME
ESPECIALLY DEFT MANEUVERING,

THE GAP IS BARELY
WIDER THAN THE SHIP.

IT CAN BE VERY,
VERY TRICKY,

DEPENDING ON WHERE
THE WIND'S FROM,

WHERE'S THE WAVE ACTION FROM.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENTS DOING?

AND ALSO OTHER TRAFFIC THAT
MAY BE INTERFERING WITH YOU.

OKAY, I'M HEADING DOWNTO MY MOORING STATION.

GREAT, SEE YOU LATER.

THE DECKHAND
NEEDS TO BE READY

TO LET THE PASSENGERS
OFF WHEN THE FERRY DOCKS.

DOCKING AND UNDOCKINGIS GOING TO BE THE BUSIEST TIME.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE PASSENGERS

ARE KEEPING SAFE AND NOT
GETTING IN HARM'S WAY.

PEOPLE ARE NOW EITHER
WAKING UP FROM THEIR SLEEP

OR PUTTING THEIR
CELL PHONES AWAY,

GETTING READY TO
DISEMBARK THE VESSEL.

IT'S LIKE A, I DON'TKNOW, A SIXTH SENSE,

YOU KNOW, OKAY, IT'S TIME FOR
YOU TO GO TOWARD THE FRONT,

SO YOU'RE NOT IN THAT
MADNESS, TRYING TO GET OFF.

THE FERRY
SHOULD BE APPROACHING

THE SLIP BY NOW,

BUT IT'S NOT.

WE STARTED TO WALK
TO THE FRONT OF THE BOAT.

BUT THE ODD THING WAS,
THIS GUY WAS RUNNING BY

TOWARD THE BACK OF
THE BOAT, PASSING US.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD.

WHEN IT SHIFTS AND SLOWSUP, YOU KNOW YOU'RE COMING IN.

AND UM, IT NEVER SLOWED UP.

I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
WHY IT WASN'T SLOWING DOWN.

AND THEN AS WE WERE
GETTING CLOSER,

IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS
PICKING UP MORE SPEED.

THE FERRY
SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPING.

-GOD!
-WHAT THE!

EVERYBODY BACK,
EVERYBODY BACK!

AND I FLEW, WE ALL FLEW!

IT SOUNDED LIKE A BOMB
EXPLODED ON THE BOAT.

THE SOUND OF THE METAL.

THE CLANGING, STEEL SCREAMS.

IT'S SUCH A HIGH
PITCH KIND OF SOUND.

AND THEN IT WENT
COMPLETELY QUIET.

THE VESSEL
HAS GROUND TO A STOP

ALONGSIDE A CONCRETE
MAINTENANCE PIER.

WITH ITS SIDE TORN WIDE OPEN.

DOZENS ON BOARD ARE INJURED.

THE EMERGENCY HAS JUST BEGUN.

THE INSIDE OF THE
STRICKEN STATEN ISLAND FERRY

LOOKS LIKE A WAR ZONE.

NEXT THING YOU KNOW,

YOU HEAR PEOPLE
YELLING AND SCREAMING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S COMPLETE CHAOS.

THERE ARE
HUNDREDS OF PANICKED PEOPLE

ABOARD THE BARBERI.

FEW HAVE ANY IDEA
WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

THAT WAY!

GET TO THE OTHER
SIDE, MOVE THIS WAY!

POLICE OFFICER
JOHN DOWNEY WAS WITH THE NYPD

WHEN THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER WAS ATTACKED.

AND THAT TRAUMATIC EVENT WAS
BARELY TWO YEARS EARLIER.

YOUR MIND
RACES, ALL RIGHT,

YOU KNOW, THIS IS
HAPPENING AGAIN.

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT
MAYBE SOMEONE TRIED TO,

YOU KNOW, BLOW UP THE BOAT.

AT THAT POINT, YOU HAVE
TO PRETTY MUCH FIGURE OUT,

AM I LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO
MIGHT HAVE SET A BOMB OFF?

THERE'S PEOPLE RUNNING
ALL OVER THE PLACE

AND AS THEY'RE RUNNING
AWAY FROM THE DISASTER,

YOU'RE RUNNING INTO IT.

ON SHORE, OFF-DUTY
FIREFIGHTER PETER BLAICH

ALSO TRIES TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

WHEN I TURNED
AND SAW THE BOAT

ON THE CONSTRUCTION PIER THERE,

I FIGURED THEY DETONATED
SOMETHING ON THE BOAT.

THE MAINTENANCE
PIER THE FERRY HAS HIT

IS HUNDREDS OF YARDS
SOUTH OF THE SLIPS

WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DOCK.

BLAICH JUMPS INTO ACTION.

AS A FIREMAN, YOU WANNAGET THERE, AND YOU WANNA HELP.

GANSAS...

I'M GONNA GO SEEWHAT'S HAPPENING.

...AND
THE CHIEF ENGINEER

BOTH RUSH TO FIND
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

HELP, PLEASE, HELP ME!

AUDREY BIASE
IS PINNED DOWN BY DEBRIS

ON ONE OF THE PASSENGER DECKS.

SHE'S BADLY HURT.
HELP PLEASE!

I'M ALL CRUSHED,
AND I CAN'T MOVE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
WE HAD CRASHED.

I THOUGHT THEY BLEW UP
THE FRONT OF THE BOAT.

SOMEBODY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

I THOUGHT, NOW I'M GONNA DROWN,
AND THIS IS HOW I'M GOING.

HENRY
BENNUDRITI FINDS HIMSELF

BEHIND A COLLAPSED STAIRWAY.

THERE'S NO SIGN OF HIS
FRIEND, FRANK SULLIVAN.

I GOT HIT IN MY
LEG WITH SOMETHING

THAT JUST, CAME OUTTA NOWHERE.

I WAS ABLE TO WIGGLE MY WAY
OUTTA WHERE I WAS TRAPPED.

BUT I, I NEVER SAW FRANKIE.

I THOUGHT FRANKIE WAS FINE
BECAUSE HE RAN BEFORE ME.

I THOUGHT, HE'S GONNA BE FINE.

THIS IS TASK
FORCE PORTABLE.

I GOTTA FERRY CRASHED IN THE
PIER WITH MULTIPLE INJURIES.

OFFICER
DOWNEY'S INSTINCTS

AND TRAINING TAKE OVER.

WE'RE GONNA NEED
MULTIPLE AMBULANCES

AT THE TERMINAL.

IT WAS TAG, YOU'RE IT.

YOU'RE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

FROM NOW UNTIL EVERYBODY
GETS TO THE DOCK.

WHAT'S GOIN' ON?!

YOU, CHECK DAMAGE
ON THE MAIN DECK.

ARE YOU OKAY?

RICHIE, ARE YOU OKAY?

THE INJURED
PASSENGERS NEED HELP.

FOR MANY, TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

I NEED YOUR HELP.

WITH THE FERRY'S
WRECKED SIDE

AGAINST THE MAINTENANCE PIER,

NO ONE CAN GET ON
OR OFF THE SHIP.

SOMEHOW, CAPTAIN GANSAS
HAS TO GET THE FERRY

OVER TO THE SLIPS, SO
FIRST-RESPONDERS CAN BOARD.

WE NEED TO SWITCH
OVER THE CONTROLS.

YOU STAY HERE, I'M HEADING
OVER TO THE MANHATTAN SIDE.

THE CAPTAIN'S PLAN

IS TO GET HIS SHIP CLEAR
OF THE MAINTENANCE PIER,

TURN IT, AND THEN DOCK
IT BY ITS UNDAMAGED END.

OFF-DUTY FIREFIGHTER
PETER BLAICH IS DETERMINED

TO GET FROM THE
PIER TO THE FERRY.

BUT IT'S TOO FAR TO JUMP.

I WAS ABLE TO GET
A CONSTRUCTION LADDER

THAT WAS LEFT THERE,
AND I WAS ABLE TO BRIDGE

FROM THE CONCRETE
PIER TO THE BOAT.

NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT,
WE REALLY LOOK AT OURSELVES

AS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
TO TRY TO SAVE A LIFE.

I GOT SOME CUTS
GOING ONTO THE BOAT.

BLAICH HAS CROSSED
OVER INTO ANOTHER WORLD.

THE FIRST PERSON THAT
I SAW WAS DECEASED.

I MEAN, SOME OF THE INJURIES,

PEOPLE LOST THEIR
LEGS AND THEIR LIMBS.

I MEAN, THERE WAS
HORRIFIC INJURIES.

CAPTAIN GANSAS
IS BACK

IN THE MANHATTAN PILOT HOUSE,

BUT HE CAN'T START PILOTING YET.

-YES.
-OKAY, I'M IN POSITION.

TRANSFER COMMAND NOW.

FIRST,
HE AND THE ENGINEER

HAVE TO SWITCH CONTROL OVER
TO THAT END OF THE SHIP.

YOU
HAVE THE COMMAND.

OFF-DUTY
FIREFIGHTER, PETER BLAICH,

WORKS HIS WAY THROUGH
THE PASSENGER DECKS.

SIR, ARE YOU ALL
RIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME?

MANY OF THEVICTIMS CAN NO LONGER BE HELPED.

I WAS KINDA LIKE, JUST
TRYING TO TRIAGE AT THAT POINT

TO SEE LIKE, WHO'S
ACTUALLY PINNED AND SAVABLE

AND WHO'S OBVIOUSLY DECEASED.

HELP, I'M IN HERE!

BLAICH
FINDS AUDREY BIASE

STILL PINNED UNDER DEBRIS.

WE GOT
SOMEBODY UNDER HERE!

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

THE NEXT THING I HEAR
IS SOMEBODY SAYING,

"THERE'S A WOMAN UNDER
THERE, LET'S GET HER OUT."

WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVETHIS OFF YOU, ALL RIGHT?

IT WAS KIND OF BY LUCK
THAT I CAME ACROSS HER.

SHE WAS STUCK UNDER LIKE, A
PIECE OF THE STEEL DECKING.

SO LISTEN, WE'RE GONNA
NEED SOME LEVERAGE.

-THIS IS GONNA WORK.
-YEAH.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO USE ACTUAL
PARTS OF THE DECKING ITSELF

AS A LEVERAGE TO ACTUALLY
PULL IT OFF OF HER

TO GET HER OUT OF IT.

CAPTAIN GANSAS
HAS GOT HIS FERRY

AWAY FROM THE PIER AND
OUT INTO THE HARBOR.

NOW HE CAN ATTEMPT
TO TURN IT AROUND.

THEY HAD TO
MANEUVER THAT VESSEL

NOT KNOWING IF THE PROPULSION

ON THAT END OF THE
VESSEL HAD BEEN DAMAGED.

THERE ARE MANY
INJURED PEOPLE ON BOARD.

EVERY MINUTE COULD COST LIVES.

AT THAT POINT,
IT JUST SEEMS

LIKE TIME REALLY
STOOD STILL,

AS FAR AS TRYING TO GET
BACK TO THE TERMINAL.

A SEA OF
RESCUERS HAS CONGREGATED

BUT THEY'RE POWERLESS
TO DO ANYTHING.

I MEAN, YOU CAN
SEE WHERE HELP IS,

BUT YOU NEED TO GET THERE.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO GET
THIS BOAT INTO THE PIER.

NICE AND EASY.

STAND BY TO DOCK.

WITH THE
FERRY SAFELY IN THE SLIP,

FIRST RESPONDERS
CAN FINALLY BOARD.

THEY RACE ONTO THE SHIP
TO SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.

INVESTIGATORS NEED
TO BOARD, TOO.

WHAT THEY FIND IS
WORSE THAN ANYTHING

THEY COULD HAVE EXPECTED.

20 MINUTES AFTER HELL
HAS BEEN UNLEASHED

ON THE ANDREW J. BARBERI,
THE FERRY NOW SITS SECURELY DOCKED

BY ITS UNDAMAGED END AT THE
TERMINAL ON STATEN ISLAND.

TWO-THIRDS OF THE WALLS
AND WINDOWS ON ONE SIDE

OF THE MAIN PASSENGER DECK
HAVE BEEN OBLITERATED.

BEHIND THEM,
FULLY HALF-WAY INTO THE SHIP,

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED.

MORE THAN 80 PEOPLE ARE
INJURED, 11 OF THEM FATALLY.

EVERYBODY AROUND
ME WAS BLEEDING.

I WAS THE BEST OF THE CRITICAL
BECAUSE I DIDN'T LOSE A LIMB.

THE ANGELS PUT THEIR WINGS OUT.

THAT'S HOW I FELT, BECAUSE
THERE WAS SO MUCH DEBRIS

AND I DIDN'T GET CRUSHED.

I WAS SO GRATEFUL.

THE COAST
GUARD HAS ALREADY ARRIVED

AT THE SCENE, LED BY
INVESTIGATOR CHARLES COBB.

I REMEMBER THE DAY
VERY, VERY CLEARLY.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU NEVER FORGET.

WITH COBB,
IS ASSISTANT INVESTIGATOR

RICHARD GONZALEZ.

WHEN WE GOT TO THEVESSEL, THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED,

THIS IS REALLY, REALLY BAD.

THE
MAIN PASSENGER DECK

LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN DETONATED.

THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE,

AND THE MAGNITUDE
OF DEATH AND INJURY.

THAT DID GO THROUGH OUR
MIND AS WE GOT ON THERE,

WAS IT A TERRORIST ATTACK?

THE INVESTIGATORS
QUICKLY DETERMINE

THIS WAS NO ACT OF TERRORISM.

BUT THEY REALIZE THE GENERAL
PUBLIC COULD FEAR OTHERWISE.

THIS IS ABOUT TWO
YEARS AFTER 9/11 SO,

EVERYBODY WAS ASSUMING
SOME KIND OF A MASS ATTACK.

IT TURNED OUT EQUALLY
AS DEVASTATING.

OFF-DUTY
FIREFIGHTER PETER BLAICH

FINALLY LEAVES THE SHIP.

I STAYED AND
OPERATED FOR PROBABLY

UP TO MAYBE TWO HOURS.

I WAS THEN TOLD, "HEY, MAN,

YOU NEED TO GET YOUR
SHOULDER LOOKED AT."

YOU DIDN'T RUN INTO
MY BUDDY FRANKIE?

HE WAS AHEAD OF ME.

ELECTRICIAN
HENRY BENNUDRITI,

IS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL AND
GOES HOME THAT SAME NIGHT.

PEOPLE
DIED THAT DAY.

AND ABOUT THREE
O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING

THEY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT
THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE.

AND THE LAST NAME THEY
SAID WAS FRANK SULLIVAN.

FRANKIE HAD TWO KIDS, A
WIFE, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT.

THE HORRIFIC EVENT
HAS SHAKEN THE ENTIRE CITY.

IT'S A
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

PEOPLE WHO WERE
ON THEIR WAY HOME,

ALL OF A SUDDEN, TAKEN FROM US.

THE NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

PUTS INVESTIGATOR
BOB FORD ON THE CASE.

SO, 9/11, OBVIOUSLY
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

AND THIS IS OCTOBER 15, 2003,
NOT MUCH TIME HAD PASSED.

A BIG ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK,THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST THING,

OH MY GOD, WE'RE
GETTING ATTACKED AGAIN.

THEY NEED TO FIND
THE TRUTH AND GET WORD OUT

TO THE PUBLIC AS
QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.

ALL RIGHT, WHAT HAVE
YOU GOT FOR ME SO FAR?

LET
ME SHOW YOU.

THE NTSB
AND THE COAST GUARD

WILL WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER.

THE STATEN ISLAND
FERRIES AREN'T EQUIPPED

WITH VOYAGE DATA RECORDERS
SO THERE'S NO AUDIO RECORD

OF WHAT WAS SAID
IN THE PILOT HOUSE.

AND NO ON-SHORE SECURITY CAMERAS

CAPTURED THE MOMENT OF IMPACT.

THAT'S A LOTTA DAMAGE.

SO THE KEY
EVIDENCE INVESTIGATORS HAVE,

IS THE MANGLED FERRY ITSELF.

THE IMPACT TORE A
GASH ABOUT 200 FEET LONG.

THE SEVERITY OF
THIS ACCIDENT,

WE COULDN'T FIGURE
OUT HOW IT HAPPENED.

IT LOOKED LIKE THE KNIFE
HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE VESSEL

FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.

50 FEET DEEP
INTO THAT THING,

EVERYTHING WAS JUST
COMPLETELY WIPED OUT.

FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VESSEL,

'TIL THE MIDLINE OF THE VESSEL.

TO TRY AND
UNDERSTAND THE EXTREME DAMAGE

INFLICTED ON THE FERRY,
INVESTIGATORS FOCUS

ON THE MAINTENANCE
PIER IT COLLIDED WITH.

THIS WAS A CONCRETE
PIER THAT WAS ELEVATED,

STICKING OUT INTO THE WATER.

WHERE THE VESSEL
HIT THE DOCK

HAPPENED TO LINE UP
WITH A ROW OF WINDOWS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
CONCRETE AGAINST METAL.

RIDING INTO
THE CORNER OF THE PIER,

THE ANDREW BARBERI
DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE.

THE PIER JUST SLICED IT
AND IT BASICALLY CUT IT OPEN

LIKE A TUNA CAN, DOWN THE SIDE.

THE ONLY REASON IT DIDN'T SINK

WAS BECAUSE OF WHERE
THE DAMAGE WAS,

WAY ABOVE THE WATERLINE.

HAD THIS BEEN
BELOW THE WATERLINE,

PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE DROWNED.

THE CRASH
COULD HAVE RESULTED

IN HUNDREDS OF FATALITIES.

INVESTIGATORS WANT TO
INTERVIEW ALL 15 CREW MEMBERS.

ESPECIALLY THE CAPTAIN AND
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

ASSIGNED TO BE IN THE
PILOT HOUSE DURING DOCKING.

DOES HE UNDERSTANDHOW SERIOUS THIS MATTER IS?

RIGHT AWAY.

OKAY,
I UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU.

THEY'RE
HITTING ROADBLOCKS.

THE CAPTAIN
WON'T MEET WITH US.

THE CAPTAIN, HE'S TAKING
THE FIFTH AMENDMENT,

HE'S NOT TALKING.

THE UNITED
STATES' FIFTH AMENDMENT

ALLOWS ANY PERSON UNDER
INVESTIGATION TO KEEP SILENT,

IF THEY FEAR WHAT THEY SAY

COULD BE USED AGAINST
THEM IN COURT.

HE LAWYERED UP,
AND THAT WAS IT.

INVESTIGATORS
KNOW IT WAS ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

SMITH WHO WAS ACTUALLY
ON THE CONTROLS

WHEN THE FERRY CRASHED.

WE
DEFINITELY WANTED TO

TALK TO THE
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN.

BUT IN A
STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS

THAT SHOCKS EVERYONE, IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE TO INTERVIEW HIM.

POLICE SAYONE OF THE FERRY CAPTAINS,

RICHARD SMITH, FLED
THE SCENE AND RAN HOME,

WHERE HE SHOT HIMSELF
WITH A PELLET GUN

AND SLASHED HIS WRISTS.

HE CAME OUT OF HIS
HOUSE ON A STRETCHER

IN FRONT OF NEIGHBORS AND
IS NOW IN THE HOSPITAL.

AFTER
LIFE-SAVING SURGERY,

SMITH IS STILL IN NO CONDITION
TO TALK TO INVESTIGATORS.

I JUST COULDN'T
BELIEVE IT.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER HEARD

ANYTHING LIKE THAT
IN ANY INVESTIGATION.

AT THIS POINT NOW I'M THINKING,

WHY WOULD HE TRY
TO COMMIT SUICIDE?

WHETHER HE DID THIS PURPOSEFULLYOR HE MADE AN ERROR

AND FEELS SO GUILTY THAT HE
MADE AN ERROR, WE DON'T KNOW.

WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP GOING
ON THE INVESTIGATION.

IT'S HARD FOR
INVESTIGATORS TO UNDERSTAND

HOW A QUALIFIED OFFICER
COULD MISTAKENLY DRIVE

FULL SPEED INTO A PIER
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

EVERYBODY
BACK, EVERYBODY!

WHY WOULD THE FERRY

NOT EVEN SLOW DOWN
BEFORE THE CRASH?

IF THERE'S A MECHANICAL ISSUE
WITH THE STATEN ISLAND FLEET

THAT COULD HAVE LED
TO THIS DISASTER,

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND IT.

YOU ALWAYS THINK OF
THE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS

THAT COULD HAPPEN.

YOU COULD HAVE A
STEERING CASUALTY.

YOU COULD HAVE AN
ENGINE CASUALTY.

YOU DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

THE ANDREW J.
BARBERI IS 22 YEARS OLD,

A WORKHORSE THAT'S MADE TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF CROSSINGS.

A FAILURE IS POSSIBLE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

LOUD AND CLEAR.

KNOWING
THAT THE BARBERI'S

POWERFUL PROPULSION SYSTEM
COULD BE MALFUNCTIONING,

INVESTIGATORS TIE THE
VESSEL SECURELY TO A DOCK,

THEN PUT IT THROUGH
A BATTERY OF TESTS.

OKAY, GO AHEAD.

THAT WAS THE MAIN
THING WE THOUGHT

THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN,

THAT THIS WAS A
MECHANICAL ISSUE.

THAT THE PROPULSION
SYSTEM GOT STUCK

AND PUSHED THE VESSEL FORWARD
WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO STOP.

GOIN'
TO FULL POWER.

EVERYTHING SEEMS
TO BE FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY.

OKAY, SHUT 'EM DOWN.

COPY THAT,
SHUTTING DOWN.

THE MECHANICS
OF THE VESSEL,

THE PROPULSION,
WAS WORKING.

AT THE END OF THE
DAY, IT WAS DETERMINED

THAT ALL SYSTEMS WERE
OPERATING PROPERLY.

I MEAN, THAT WAS RULED
OUT PROBABLY ON DAY THREE.

AND SO, WHAT HAPPENED?

INVESTIGATORS
NEED A NEW LEAD.

BUT THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL,

UNAVAILABLE TO TALK.

OKAY, THANKS.

AND THE CAPTAIN
ISN'T TALKING EITHER,

ON HIS LAWYER'S ADVICE.

I NEVER TALKED
TO THE CAPTAIN.

HE KEPT GIVING THE SAME ANSWER,

"BASED ON ADVICE OF COUNSEL,

"I INVOKE MY FIFTH
AMENDMENT RIGHT."

NEXT IN THE
HIERARCHY IS THE SENIOR MATE.

HE WAS IN THE BACK
OF THE PILOT HOUSE

WHEN THE FERRY CRASHED.

GENTLEMEN,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

IF HE'LL TALK,
INVESTIGATORS HOPE

HE CAN SHED LIGHT ONTO
WHY A ROUTINE TRIP

FOR 1500 COMMUTERS CAME
TO SUCH A HORRIFIC END.

-ARE YOU READY?
-YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, WALK
US THROUGH.

WHERE WERE YOU AND
WHAT DID YOU SEE?

THE SENIOR MATE
OF THE ANDREW J. BARBERI

WAS RIGHT THERE WHEN THE FERRY
RAMMED A MAINTENANCE PIER

KILLING 11 PEOPLE AND
INJURING DOZENS MORE.

I GUESS I GOT
TO THE PILOT HOUSE

ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE TRIP.

THE SENIOR
MATE IS USUALLY PATROLLING

THE PASSENGER DECKS WHILE
THE SHIP IS UNDER WAY.

BUT AFTER THE
START OF THIS TRIP...

-HOW'D IT GO?
-NO PROBLEMS.

...HE WAS ON A BENCH

AT THE BACK OF THE PILOT HOUSE.

IT WAS
A REGULAR DAY,

NOTHING OUT OF
THE ORDINARY.

HE WASN'T
ON LOOKOUT DUTY.

BUT BECAUSE HE WAS UPSTAIRS,
HE'S ABLE TO TELL INVESTIGATORS

SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

OKAY, I'M HEADING
DOWN TO MY MOORING STATION.

GREAT, SEE YOU LATER.

TOWARD
THE END OF THE VOYAGE,

THE DECKHAND RETURNED TO
THE LOWER DECKS AS REQUIRED.

BUT NO ONE CAME
UP TO TAKE OVER AS LOOKOUT.

IT WAS CONTRARY TO THE
COAST GUARD REGULATIONS

OF HAVING TWO PEOPLE
IN THE WHEELHOUSE

FROM TIME OF DEPARTURE
'TIL TIME OF ARRIVAL.

BUT PROCEDURES WERE
NOT TIGHTLY REGULATED

BY THE STATEN ISLAND
FERRY OPERATIONS.

SO WHO WAS IN
THE PILOT HOUSE?

UM, JUST
THE TWO OF US.

YOU AND
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN?

YES, SIR.

THE PROTOCOL
IS THE CAPTAIN

AND THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
SHOULD BE ON THE CONTROLS

AS THEY MAKE THE
APPROACH TO THE DOCK.

BUT GANSAS WASN'T IN
THE STATEN ISLAND PILOT HOUSE.

HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SMITH

DURING THE DOCKING,
BUT HE WASN'T.

IT BECAME CLEAR THAT
THERE WAS A DISCONNECT

BETWEEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES,

AND ACTUAL OPERATIONS
ON THE VESSEL.

INVESTIGATORS
LEARN SOME CAPTAINS

WOULD STAY AT THE
OTHER END OF THE FERRY

AND WAIT THERE TO TAKE THE
HELM FOR THE RETURN TRIP.

IT OPERATED THAT
WAY FOR YEARS,

AND THEY'D HAD NO MAJOR
PROBLEMS SO, CLEARLY

IT WAS WORKING FOR
THEM, IN THEIR MIND.

THEY BASICALLY JUST SAID,
HEY, YOU TAKE THIS SIDE,

I'LL TAKE THAT SIDE,
WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

WAS LEFT ALONE AT THE HELM,

PILOTING A SHIP WITH
1500 PASSENGERS ON BOARD.

AND FROM WHERE THE
SENIOR MATE WAS SITTING,

HE COULDN'T SEE
WELL ENOUGH TO HELP.

I DON'T REALLY
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

IT JUST, NOTHING OUT OF THE
ORDINARY, AND THEN BANG.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

YOU, CHECK DAMAGE
ON THE MAIN DECK.

THE SENIOR
MATE WAS QUICKLY SENT

TO HELP DEAL WITH THE EMERGENCY.

SO HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

IN THE PILOT HOUSE AFTER THAT.

WELL,
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

INVESTIGATORS
HAVE GOTTEN A GLIMPSE

INTO THE FLAWED
DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS

ON THE STATEN ISLAND FERRIES.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

BUT THEY
STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND

WHY AN ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

WOULD SAIL RIGHT PAST THE SLIP.

AND RAM THE FERRY INTO A PIER.

YOU'RE STUCK WITH
PAPER WORK, I'M AFRAID.

HUMAN FACTORS
SPECIALIST BARRY STRAUCH

IS BROUGHT IN ON THE CASE.

HIS PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE
MAKES HIM UNIQUELY QUALIFIED.

I HAD PERSONALLY
WORKED ON TWO ACCIDENTS

ON LARGE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
THAT WERE LATER DETERMINED

TO BE MASS HOMICIDES.

IT'S A NATURAL QUESTION.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
DID NOT ALTER THE COURSE

OF THE VESSEL, DID
NOT SLOW THE SPEED.

WAS HE SUICIDAL IN ANY WAY?

STRAUCH
LOOKS INTO THE 55-YEAR-OLD

ASSISTANT CAPTAIN'S RECORDS.

HE DISCOVERS SMITH HAS
AN IMPECCABLE REPUTATION.

HIS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE
REVIEWS ARE ALL RATED

SUPERIOR OR OUTSTANDING.

IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

EVERY PERSON WE TALKED TO,
HIS RECORDS, SHOWED A DILIGENT,

MOTIVATED EMPLOYEE WHO LIKED
HIS JOB AND LIKED HIS LIFE.

HOW WAS LIFE ON
THE OIL RIGS?

A LOT WORSE THAN THIS!

THE WINDS WERE JUST VICIOUS.

WHEN
INVESTIGATORS INTERVIEW

SMITH'S COLLEAGUES AND FAMILY,
THEY FIND NO SUGGESTION

SMITH WAS SUICIDAL
BEFORE THE CRASH.

STRAUCH CONCLUDES
SMITH'S SUICIDE ATTEMPT

WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY
DISTRESS AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

THIS ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
WAS SO DISTRAUGHT

BY WHAT HE FELT WAS HIS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT

THAT HE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
AS A WAY OF REACTING

TO HIS FEELING OF REMORSE.

BUT IF HE DIDN'T
RAM THE PIER DELIBERATELY,

WHAT DID HAPPEN?

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOWMORE ABOUT SMITH'S ACTIONS

BEFORE HE FLED THE SHIP.

THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WHO
SAW HIM AFTER THE CRASH.

THE ENGINEER
TALKED TO HIM RIGHT AFTER.

STAY HERE, I'M GONNA
GO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

THE CHIEF ENGINEER
WAS ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE

TO TALK TO SMITH BEFORE
HE DISAPPEARED THAT DAY.

GO AHEAD.

IT WAS RIGHT
AFTER WE HIT.

HE SHARES
A CRITICAL DETAIL.

HE SAID
HE BLACKED OUT, OR PASSED OUT.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
SAID THAT?

YES SIR,
THAT'S CORRECT.

WHAT HAPPENED?

I THINK I, I
THINK I PASSED OUT.

HE SAID, "I BLACKED
OUT, OR I PASSED OUT."

DID HE FALL ASLEEP?

WAS IT A MEDICAL CONDITION?

DID HE HAVE A STROKE?

INVESTIGATORS
HAVE URGENT QUESTIONS

THAT NEED ANSWERS.

WE STARTED SAYING,
"WHY WOULD HE BLACK OUT?"

INVESTIGATORS ARE FACED

WITH A STARTLING REVELATION.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
OF THE ANDREW BARBERI

MAY HAVE BLACKED OUT MOMENTS
BEFORE THE FATAL CRASH.

WE NEEDED TO FIND OUT
WHY HE HAD THE EVENT,

WHAT CAUSED IT?

AND THAT JUST GOT
THE CHAIN GOING.

THEY WANT TO TALK
TO HIM MORE THAN EVER,

BUT THEY CAN'T.

AFTER HIS HOSPITAL STAY,
HIS LAWYER RECOMMENDED

THAT HE NOT SPEAK TO
US, AND WE WERE NEVER

ABLE TO ACTUALLY INTERVIEW
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN.

HOW WAS LIFE ON
THE OIL RIGS?

A LOT WORSE THAN THIS.

THE DECKHAND
SERVING AS LOOK-OUT

SAID SMITH SEEMED NORMAL JUST
MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH.

OKAY, I'M HEADING DOWNTO MY MOORING STATION.

GREAT, SEE YOU LATER.

HIS WIFE SAID
HIS SLEEP SCHEDULE WAS NORMAL.

WE RULED OUT FATIGUEFROM WHAT WE LEARNED

ABOUT HIS SLEEP, WAKE PATTERNS
AND HIS WORK SCHEDULE.

OKAY, HOW ARE WE DOING
ON HIS MEDICAL RECORDS?

BECAUSE OF THE
FACT THAT HE HAD,

WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS
PASSED OUT ON THE VESSEL,

WE NEEDED TO GET AS MANY
MEDICAL RECORDS AS WE CAN.

GOT HIS COAST
GUARD FORMS RIGHT HERE.

THERE'S ALWAYS THE
POSSIBILITY THAT A HEART ATTACK

OR A STROKE OR SOMETHING ELSE
CAUSES THE INCAPACITATION.

INVESTIGATORS SCRUTINIZE

SMITH'S MEDICAL RECORDS,
STARTING WITH HIS 7-19K.

THIS BOILERPLATE
FORM IS A SAFEGUARD,

CREATED BY THE
COAST GUARD ITSELF,

TO ENSURE SEAFARERS ARE HEALTHY
AND PHYSICALLY FIT FOR DUTY.

THE 7-19K SPECIFIES
ALL MEDICAL CONDITIONS

THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS OR
MEDICATION THAT THEY'RE TAKING.

AND IT'S SIGNED
BY THE PHYSICIAN,

CERTIFYING THAT THE PERSON IS
QUALIFIED TO HOLD A LICENSE.

ACCORDING
TO SMITH'S 7-19K,

HE'S IN EXCELLENT HEALTH.

NONE OF THE RECORDS
STRAUCH HAS SEEN

EXPLAIN WHY
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

MIGHT HAVE BLACKED
OUT AT THE CONTROLS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE.

STRAUCH IS
DETERMINED TO KEEP DIGGING.

MORE THAN LIKELY, THEREWAS OTHER INFORMATION,

OUT THERE THAT WOULD BE ABLE
TO HELP US ANSWER THAT QUESTION

AS TO WHAT HAPPENED
ON THE FERRY.

WE HAD TO RULE EVERYTHING OUT.

HE THINKS OF A
WAY TO LOOK BEYOND THE 7-19K

AND MAYBE GET
CLOSER TO THE TRUTH.

I TOOK A GUESS
THAT THE PHARMACIES

WOULD TELL US SOMETHING.

AND I WAS PREPARED TO GO
TO EVERY LOCAL PHARMACY

NEAR WHERE
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN LIVED

AND JUST ASK THEM IF THEY HAD
INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICATIONS

THAT THEY DISPENSED TO
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN.

INVESTIGATORS
VISIT A PHARMACY

NEAR SMITH'S HOME,
AND HIT THE JACKPOT.

THERE'S ANOTHER
ONE, THIS ONE'S A PAINKILLER.

SMITH WAS ON
A COCKTAIL OF PRESCRIPTIONS

FOR A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
HAD BEEN

ON PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH
HE HAD NOT REPORTED

TO THE COAST GUARD.

FOR STRAUCH,
IT'S A SHOCKING REVELATION.

THAT'S QUITE THE LIST.

TO NAVIGATE A FERRY,
WITH THE CAPACITY

OF SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE,
THROUGH ONE OF THE BUSIEST

HARBORS IN THE WORLD, REQUIRED
ALERTNESS AT ALL TIMES,

QUICK REACTION TIME, THE
ABILITY TO SUSTAIN ATTENTION,

AND THE ABILITY TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN

WHAT'S RELEVANT
IN THE ENVIRONMENT

AND WHAT IS
IRRELEVANT, TO FOCUS.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
HAD BEEN TAKING

PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATIONS
FOR CHRONIC BACK PAIN.

AND HE'D BEEN TAKING THAT
FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS,

AND HE CONTINUED TO
MAINTAIN HIS WORK SCHEDULE.

ONE OF
THE PAIN MEDICATIONS

SMITH HAS BEEN
TAKING IS TRAMADOL,

A DRUG WITH A CONCERNING
LIST OF SIDE EFFECTS.

DIZZINESS, DROWSINESS.

AND THERE IT IS.

BLURRED VISION,
FAINTING, SEIZURES.

ONE OF THE POTENTIAL SIDE
EFFECTS OF TRAMADOL IS SEIZURE.

SO IT'S VERY POSSIBLE
THAT THE TRAMADOL

LED TO HIS INCAPACITATION.

THE WHOLE POINT
OF THE COAST GUARD'S 7-19K

IS TO FLAG MARINERS
AT MEDICAL RISK

TO PROTECT THE LIVES
OF PASSENGERS AND CREW.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS TIME.

INVESTIGATORS NEED
TO FIND OUT WHY.

THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
WHO CRASHED

THE ANDREW J. BARBERI

HAD A SIGNED 7-19K FORM STATING
THAT HE WAS HEALTHY AND FIT

TO PILOT A SHIP AND THAT HE
WASN'T TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS.

BUT INVESTIGATORS NOW
KNOW, THAT WASN'T TRUE.

HE WAS TAKING
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS

THAT COULD CAUSE ALL
KINDS OF ADVERSE EFFECTS.

AND NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.

WHEN INVESTIGATORS
FOLLOW THE PAPER TRAIL

THEY MAKE A
SURPRISING DISCOVERY.

THE DOCTOR THAT
PRESCRIBED THAT MEDICATION

WAS ALSO THE DOCTOR THAT SIGNED
HIS COAST GUARD 7-19K FORM,

IN WHICH HE ATTESTED THAT
THE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN

WAS NOT TAKING MEDICATION.

I HAD NEVER SEEN A CASE WHERE
A PHYSICIAN AND A MARINER

TOGETHER FALSIFIED A FORM.

I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE
OF ME, UNDERSTAND WHY

A DOCTOR WOULD SIGN OFF,
"OH, YEAH, OKAY,

I'LL SIGN-OFF FOR
THE COAST GUARD."

THAT JUST, THAT JUST
ABSOLUTELY BEWILDERED ME.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

THAT FALSIFIED
MEDICAL FORM ALLOWED SMITH

TO RENEW HIS MARINER'S LICENSE

WITHOUT ANYONE TAKING
A SECOND GLANCE.

AND IT SET THE STAGE
FOR A DISASTER.

ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH,
NOBODY KNEW

SMITH WAS AT RISK
FOR ANY SIDE EFFECTS.

AND THE CREW OF
THE ANDREW BARBERI

WENT ABOUT THEIR
BUSINESS AS USUAL.

I'M HEADING TO THE OTHERSIDE, SHE'S ALL YOURS.

GOT IT, SEE YOU SHORTLY.

CAPTAIN GANSAS
WAS NEVER IN THE STATEN ISLAND

PILOT HOUSE AFTER THE
BARBERI GOT UNDERWAY.

WORSE, HE DIDN'T JOIN
SMITH FOR THE DOCKING,

THE WAY HE WAS SUPPOSED TO.

SEE YOU LATER.

AS THE SHIP
NEARED THE END OF ITS JOURNEY,

THE DECKHAND ALSO LEFT TO
CARRY OUT HIS OTHER DUTIES.

NO ONE CAME TO REPLACE HIM,
LEAVING ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SMITH

ALONE AT THE HELM
FROM THAT POINT ON.

IN THE FINAL MINUTES BEFORE
THE SHIP WAS SUPPOSED TO DOCK

SMITH LIKELY BLACKED
OUT, PERHAPS OVERCOME

BY THE EFFECTS OF HIS
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.

HAD CAPTAIN GANSAS
BEEN ON THE PILOT HOUSE,

OR IF THEY HAD A ACTIVE LOOKOUT,

HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO SEE THAT CAPTAIN SMITH

HAD PASSED OUT ON THE
CONTROLS AND TAKEN ACTION.

INCAPACITATED,
SMITH SAILED THE FERRY

RIGHT PAST THE TERMINAL
AT CRUISING SPEED.

NO ONE SUSPECTED ANYTHING,

UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.

-GOD!
-WHAT THE?

SERIOUS
FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM

ALLOWED THIS HORRIFIC
DISASTER TO HAPPEN.

THE WORK INVESTIGATORS
DID IN UNCOVERING THEM

HAVE RESULTED IN
MUCH NEEDED CHANGE.

THERE WAS A
MAJOR SHAKEDOWN

IN THE FERRY OPERATIONS

ON STATEN ISLAND, THAT HOPEFULLY

WILL PREVENT THIS
FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

THEY MADE
ENORMOUS IMPROVEMENTS

IN THE SAFETY OF THE OPERATIONS.

THEY MAKE SURE ALWAYS THAT
THERE ARE TWO LICENSED MARINERS

IN THE PILOT HOUSE DURING
ALL PHASES OF THE OPERATION.

AS A RESULT
OF THE NTSB'S REPORT,

THE COAST GUARD
TOUGHENS ITS REGULATIONS

TO HELP ENSURE CREWS
ARE FIT FOR WORK.

NEW RULES WERE IMPLEMENTEDREGARDING OVERALL HEALTH.

EVERYTHING FROM SLEEP
APNEA TO BEING OBESE.

NOW, MERCHANT MARINERS
ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN

A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PHYSICAL
FITNESS AND READINESS.

THE REPORT ALSO
RECOMMENDS THAT THE COAST GUARD

OVERHAUL THE WAY THEY ANALYZE
AND TRACK MARINERS' HEALTH,

TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE
TO GET AROUND THE REGULATIONS.

THE NTSB A LOT OF
TIMES THEY DO ISSUE

PRETTY HARSH RECOMMENDATIONS,

BUT IT IS AN
EYE-OPENER SOMETIMES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY,WHAT THE COAST GUARD WANTS IS

SAFETY AT SEA.

IN THE COURTS,

ASSISTANT CAPTAIN SMITH
PLEADS GUILTY

TO 11 COUNTS OF
SEAMAN'S MANSLAUGHTER,

AND TO LYING ON HIS COAST
GUARD MEDICAL REPORT.

HE RECEIVES AN 18-MONTH
PRISON SENTENCE.

SMITH'S PHYSICIAN IS PUT
ON PROBATION FOR ONE YEAR.

CAPTAIN GANSAS LOSES HIS JOB,

ENDING HIS CAREER AS A MARINER.

THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION IS ALSO FAULTED

FOR POOR OVERSIGHT
OF THEIR FERRIES,

AND THE DIRECTOR OF FERRY
OPERATIONS IS SENTENCED TO

PRISON FOR A YEAR PLUS A DAY,
FOR SEAMAN'S MANSLAUGHTER.

OCTOBER 15TH, 2003 WAS A
DAY THAT TOOK THE LIVES

OF 11 PEOPLE AND FOREVER CHANGEDTHE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS,

INCLUDING AUDREY BIASE.

IT WAS LIKE
CHANGING A CHANNEL.

I WAS LIVING ONE LIFE AND THEN
SOMEBODY TURNS THE CHANNEL

AND THAT LIFE WAS OVER WITH.

BUT I WAS GRATEFUL I WAS ALIVE.

HENRY BENNUDRITI
LIVES WITH THE LOSS

OF HIS FRIEND, FRANK SULLIVAN.

I HOPE FRANKIE'S
RESTING IN PEACE.

AND I HOPE THAT HIS CHILDREN
AND HIS WIFE HAVE BEEN ABLE

TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN IN
THE EYES OF THIS TRAGEDY.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS ONE OF THE
GOOD GUYS, HE REALLY WAS.

JOHN
DOWNEY IS INDUCTED

INTO THE NYPD'S HONOR LEGION
FOR HIS ACTIONS THAT DAY.

WHEN YOU'RE A COP YOU'REKIND OF ON DUTY 24/7.

I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER

NEW YORK CITY COP WOULD
HAVE DID THAT DAY.

FIREFIGHTER
PETER BLAICH IS NOW RETIRED,

BUT HE HASN'T LEFT THE
ANDREW J. BARBERI BEHIND.

IN A CRAZY WAY,
IT UNITES US ALL.

IT'S SAD, RIGHT, 'CAUSE IT
TAKES SOMETHING LIKE A 9/11

OR A FERRY CRASH, TO
BRING US ALL TOGETHER

AND FORGET ABOUT ALL THE
DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT NONSENSE

AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE ALL HUMAN.

AND WE ALL CARE
ABOUT EACH OTHER.

AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO
JUST SAVE EACH OTHER.