(NewsNation) — A tour boat in an underground cave along the Erie Canal capsized Monday. Officials say one person is dead and 11 have been transported to hospitals with minor injuries.
There were a total of 29 adults and no children onboard, officials announced at a press conference. A photographer on the scene reported seeing several adults being loaded onto stretchers covered in towels.
Officials believe the worst of the injuries are a broken arm and possible head injury, per a Monday press conference. All other survivors of the accident sustained relatively minor injuries.
“Unfortunately, we did have one fatality in the incident It is believed for a time that he was initially stuck underneath the capsized boat and it did take some time to get him recovered and back to a safe location,” said Lockport Fire Chief Luca Quagliano.
The incident took place around 11:20 a.m. Monday and involved 28 people from a tour bus coming out of Niagra Falls and one staff person, per a press conference.
Lockport Fire and Police were on the scene within minutes. Multiple additional agencies also responded to assist those who were onboard at the Lockport Caves, according to a statement from Lockport Police.
The streets surrounding Lockport Cave were closed down to allow rescue teams access to the site.
The cause of the accident is currently unknown.
The Lockport Caves is a tourist destination featuring underground boat rides about 30 miles north of Buffalo, New York.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.