An adult male has died from an accident this morning at the Lockport Caves and Underground Boat ride, according to police.
A boat from the tourist attraction capsized this morning just before 11:30 a.m., trapping some patrons underneath it. One of those patrons, a man of “about 60,” according to police had been trapped beneath the boat.
Early reports had indicated that some of the 36 passengers aboard the underground boat may have been trapped, but other reports indicate that all 36 were successfully brought above ground and none were severely injured. It was later revealed that there were actually 29 passengers and one of them — the aformentioned adult male — did not survive.
The Lockport Police Department said the scene is being treated as a crime scene as they work to determine what had gone wrong.
In addition to the one death, 11 people were injured from the incident.
The underground boat ride is a literal ride on a boat through a man-made tunnel that was dug approximately 150 years ago. The boat rides themselves started in 1977, according to the company’s website.
Lockport Mayor Michelle Roman says the tour boat has been operated without incident before today.
We’ll bring you more details when they’re available.
