WATCH: Whale watching boat loses control, slams into San Diego pier

It’s like the ending scene from the cinematic classic known as Speed 2: Cruise Control – a large boat, careening out of control towards the pier as people on land scramble to get out of the way.

Just subtract Sandra Bullock, Willem Dafoe, and shave it down to about two minutes and you’d have something like the scene captured by one bystander in the Embarcadero area of San Diego harbour March 31.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: Internet asked to name $375M ship, naturally they suggest Boaty McBoatface

The vessel, the SS Adventure Hornblower, is a 50-metre yacht that serves as a popular whale watching boat and tourist attraction. There were 144 passengers and crew aboard at the time of the collision.

Seven people were injured in the crash, which officials are saying was the result of a mechanical error.