Multiple people were in the hospital Monday after a boat capsized during a cave tour in Lockport, New York, police said.
Seven people were being treated at Eastern Niagara Health System, spokesperson Patricia Kingston-Brandt said. She said all seven are stable but was unable to comment further on their individual conditions.
“As you can imagine, the water is cold in the cave. It’s a very confined area, and any time a boat is capsized I can imagine there would be some related injuries,” Kingston-Brandt said.
Earlier, Lockport police and fire departments and other agencies were responding to the scene, according to a press release from the Lockport Police Department.
“Crews are working to assist all parties safely out of the area. This incident is still ongoing,” the release said.
Nearby streets were closed to make room for rescue vehicles and crews.
The Associated Press initially reported 36 passengers were in the boat at the time. The number has not been confirmed by officials.
Video footage from the scene outside the Lockport Cave office showed one person talking as she was loaded onto an ambulance. Others wrapped in white towels were being escorted to a bus as a steady rain fell.
The tunnel was blasted out in the 19th century to transport extra water from the Erie Canal to power nearby businesses.
A website advertising a “Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride” describes the experience as a 75-minute historic guided walking tour along the Erie Canal, located a 30-minute drive from Niagara Falls or Buffalo. Images of the tour show a small engine-powered boat in a dimly lit underground cave.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lockport is a city of about 21,000 residents in Niagara County, New York, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It is located about 20 miles northeast of Buffalo.
Contributing: The Associated Press
