Seastreak Wall Street ferry crashes into New York dock

A New York passenger ferry has hit a dock during the Manhattan rush hour, injuring as many as 50 people and tearing a hole in the vessel's bow.

More than a dozen passengers were seen lying on dockside stretchers under blankets as they awaited medical attention on a chilly January morning.

One person had suffered a serious head injury, the Associated Press reported.

The Seastreak Wall Street ferry hit the mooring as it docked about 08:45 (13:45 GMT) after a trip from New Jersey.

The ferry, which was carrying about 340 passengers and five crew members, was able to dock and witnesses say people rushed to disembark.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has visited the scene of the crash, along with senior police, fire and emergency management officials.

Manhattan, an island, is served by several commuter ferry lines, the largest of which brings passengers from the Staten Island borough.

In 2003, 11 people were killed and dozens injured when a Staten Island ferry boat crashed into a pier on Staten Island, across New York Harbor from Manhattan. Dozens more were injured in a State Island ferry crash in 2010.