NEW YORK, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were injured on Saturday in a boat explosion near Miami, the U.S. state of Florida, authorities said.

A charter vessel was carrying passengers in Biscayne Bay near Haulover Sandbar when an explosion happened on board, said Melissa Brevik, spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said it received a report of "a possible boat explosion" at 12:48 p.m. Eastern Time (1648 GMT) near the sandbar, a popular tourist attraction close to Miami Beach.

Upon arriving at the scene, emergency responders found multiple patients requiring medical attention and transported those wounded to local hospitals, the agency said in a statement.

The cause of the explosion is unknown. Authorities said an investigation is underway. ■