PALAM VALLEY: Five people were killed and seven seriously injured when a 22-foot pleasure boat crashed into the rear of a docked tug boat near St. Augustine Sunday evening, authorities said.

The crash happened at about 7 p.m. on the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Johns County near the Palm Valley Bridge, about 20 miles northwest of St. Augustine, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Joy Hill.

Three of the injured were airlifted from the crash site and all seven were taken to area hospitals, she said.

The Intracoastal Waterway runs along Florida's east coastline. Hill was not sure whether those on the Crownline boat were tossed into the water during the crash.

She said it doesn't appear anyone was aboard the 25-foot tug boat, which is registered to F&A Enterprises in St. Augustine.

The victims names have not been released.

The boat was carrying 12 people, according to Jeremy Robshaw of the St. Johns County Fire and Rescue. He told The Florida Times-Union newspaper that three of those injured were in critical condition, with the others in stable condition.

Robshaw said the pier was under construction and rescuers had to lay down planking before they could get to the crash victims.

Herb Davis watched the rescue from the dock at his home down the street.

"There was a lot of moaning," he told the newspaper. "It was very clear, this lady was screaming so loud," he said.