The ferry left from Atlantic Highlands, an area already hit hard by Hurricane Sandy:

A rush hour commuter ferry with more than 300 passengers aboard crashed Wednesday as it approached a Wall Street pier, injuring as many as 50 people, authorities said.

Officials had initially said the injuries were minor, but after patients were assessed, at least one serious head injury was being reported.

The SeaStreak ferry, which left Highlands, N.J. at 8 a.m., had a hard landing at Pier 11, which is located at South Street and Gouverneur Lane. It struck a loading barge that it was passing while trying to dock, according to SeaStreak President James Barker.

"There was a jolt when that occurred, throwing the people forward into their seats and the walls," Barker told NBC 4 New York.