New York City  - A ferry carrying around 800 passengers crashed at full speed into a pier in New York City, injuring at least 10 people, some severely.

According to the US news broadcaster CNN, the ship lost engine power shortly before docking, which a spokesman for the US Coastguard said was the equivalent of the brakes failing in a car.

It was unclear what caused the engine failure.

The ferry carries thousands of commuters as well as tourists daily between the southern tip of the island of Manhattan and Staten Island, two of New York City's five boroughs.(dpa)