A tour boat capsized in freezing waters in the Lockport Caves along the Erie Canal in upstate New York on Monday. The boating incident resulted in one fatality and injuries for 11 others. Around 11:25 a.m., police confirmed their response to the situation at the underground waterway in Lockport, located about 20 miles east of Niagara Falls.
According to the Lockport Union-Sun Journal, 29 people were on board, including one staff member, when the vessel flipped over due to a sudden weight shift.
Following the boat flip, a 60-year-old man became trapped beneath it and drowned, while his wife was also present.
WIBV reported that Eastern Niagara Health System later confirmed treating four people with non-critical injuries. Seven more individuals were transported to a nearby hospital.
The tour was operated by Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride. Travel Noire has reached out to the company for comment but has not received a response thus far.
Lockport Mayor Michelle Roman stated that the group on the boat consisted of Erie County hospitality workers. The individuals were brought to the canal by a Destination Niagara USA tour.
The Tour Boat Could Accommodate Up To 40 People
While some passengers were able to walk out of the caves, boats rescued 16 people. The area is currently being treated as a crime scene. The boat involved can accommodate up to 40 people.
Contrary to social media reports, the sheriff’s office confirmed that all individuals on board were adults. WIVB noted multiple people being loaded into an ambulance, covered in towels.
During a press conference, Lockport Fire Chief Luca Quagliano explained, “The boat turned 180 degrees, so the bottom of the boat was upright in the water. When rescuers arrived, several victims were on top of that boat.”
Chief Quagliano further explained that the flat-bottom boat became unbalanced and capsized near the end of the roughly 300-foot tunnel. As a result, all 29 people on board were thrown into water between five and six feet deep.
“Eight of the passengers have been brought into our emergency room,” said Patricia Brandt, a spokeswoman for Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport. “There are none in critical condition. They’re all stable, and some have already been released.”
Brandt mentioned that she was unaware of the nature of the injuries but confirmed that some were treated for the effects of being in cold water. She also mentioned that other patients were transferred to different hospitals but did not provide further details.
Boat tours of the caves have been operating since 1977, with the tour lasting approximately 70 minutes. The tunnel was featured in an episode of the Syfy network’s Ghost Hunters.