A Staten Island, New York ferry with a history of accidents, including a fatal wreck in 2003, malfunctioned as it approached its terminal and smashed into a pier with a jolt that tossed passengers to the deck and hurt as many as 37 people.

The Staten Island ferry was going at full speed when it crashed into a pier killing 10 people, a federal investigator said today.

The 300-foot-long bright orange Staten Island ferries move about 70,000 people a day for free between the island and lower Manhattan.

The pilot responsible for docking a New York harbour ferry that slammed into a pier, killing at least 10 people and injuring 42 others, fled the scene immediately after the crash and then attempted suicide, a police official said today.

At least 10 people were killed and 34 injured when a New York harbour ferry slammed into a pier as it was docking, tearing off victims’ limbs and sending passengers leaping into the water, officials said.