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A passenger on the ferry involved in a collision with a motor boat between Russell and Paihia today described the boat as a "massive launch" coming full throttle straight towards the side of ferry before it crashed.
Robyn Bregman told Checkpoint the motorboat hit the side of the ferry at the front, close to where the skipper was.
Several people were thrown or jumped into the water, she said. She says the skipper looked badly injured, and she thinks he was unconscious.