State and Tisbury police are investigating an incident where a minivan crashed into the doors of a Steamship Authority ferry docked at the Vineyard Haven terminal Wednesday.
At about 9:15 a.m., the vehicle drove at a high rate onto the vehicle deck of the M/V Island Home prior to boarding, the ferry line said in a statement. The vehicle crossed the empty deck and hit the stern loading doors on the far side of the boat.
The 91-year-old woman who was driving was brought to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for serious injuries, said Tisbury fire chief Patrick Rolston and state police. The woman was later flown to a Boston hospital for further treatment.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Norah Van Riper was waiting to board the ferry Wednesday morning when she saw the minivan drive quickly from the lot, up the transfer bridge and onto the ferry, she told the Gazette.
Ms. Van Riper estimated the vehicle was driving at least 30 miles per hour and said a Steamship Authority employee had to jump out of the way.
No other passengers or crew members were injured, according to the Steamship Authority.
First responders all arrived within minutes at the terminal, and used hydraulic rescue tools to extract the lone occupant from the vehicle. A tow truck then pulled out the van, which had its airbags deployed.
Several trips aboard the Island Home were cancelled in the wake of the crash and loading on other ferries was delayed. The Steamship Authority later on Wednesday said the U.S. Coast Guard cleared the ferry to return to Woods Hole so maintenance staff can assess the damage.
This article appears in July 10, 2026.