NY Harbor Boat Capsize Kills Mother and Infant
A boat capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island on Saturday night, killing a 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old daughter, according to AP News. The 22-foot Bayliner speedboat overturned around 10:25 p.m. with 14 people aboard—exceeding the vessel’s capacity of 10 to 12 passengers—and the operator now faces federal charges as authorities investigate whether he was running an illegal charter business.
The Victims
The victims were identified as Sara Sanchez, 27, of College Point, Queens, and her daughter Antonella Garcia, 5 months old, according to NBC News. Both were transported to NYU Langone Health Brooklyn in critical condition and pronounced dead at the hospital. Twelve other people were rescued from the water before police arrived and were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries.
Sanchez’s partner and Antonella’s father, Andres Garcia, was also on board and survived. The couple also has a 6-year-old son, Salvador, who was not on the boat. A GoFundMe campaign organized by Il Punto Ristorante and Marco LaGuardia Hotel has raised more than $24,000 to support Garcia and his son with funeral expenses and living costs.
The Birthday Voyage
The group of family and friends had boarded the boat at Randall’s Island around 7 p.m. for a sightseeing voyage around the Statue of Liberty, according to the New York Post. The trip was a surprise 41st birthday celebration for passenger Paula Rivera, who told the Post that the boating company said “everything” was legal, including the number of people aboard.
Sara Raez, 20, Rivera’s daughter and a survivor of the capsizing, described the terrifying moments when the boat flipped.
“When we were heading back, we were slow, but out of nowhere, people started screaming because the front of the boat went into the water,” Raez recalled. “The water got into the boat. The boat went up, and when it went down—it was in seconds—it flipped over. Everyone was on the bottom of the boat. We were just trying to get out.”
Operator Arrested, Federal Investigation Underway
The boat operator, Manuel Hernandez, 46, of Manhattan, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and initially charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment by the NYPD, according to ABC News. He was later transferred to federal custody after receiving treatment at Brooklyn’s Maimonides Medical Center, and the Southern District of New York is now leading the investigation.
The state reckless endangerment charges are no longer being pursued at the local level as the federal investigation moves forward, according to the New York Post. Federal charges are expected to be announced, with a court hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Authorities are investigating whether Hernandez was operating an illegal charter business. According to the Coast Guard, an illegal charter is any passenger-for-hire vessel operation that lacks Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment, and inspection certificates. The overturned boat was towed to shore and remains in police custody.
Rescue and Response
The capsizing triggered a massive rescue operation involving NYPD divers, FDNY first responders, two Coast Guard vessels, and an NYPD helicopter. A sightseeing vessel called Sea the City II also assisted in the rescue.
“Our captain and both crew members immediately assisted, called in to the Coast Guard and then coordinated with the Coast Guard and NYPD Harbor units to bring them to land in Brooklyn,” Adam Schwartz, the company’s owner, told the Associated Press.
Capt. Doreen McCarthy, the Coast Guard Sector New York commander, expressed condolences for the victims and gratitude for the rescue efforts.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life last night, and our thoughts are with the victims’ family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” McCarthy said. “We are extremely grateful for the heroic, swift actions of our partner agencies and Good Samaritan vessel who assisted in rescuing survivors from the water.”
Community Mourning
Neighbors and community members in College Point, Queens, expressed shock and grief over the loss. Diego Naranjo, 35, a neighbor of Sanchez, described her as “a beautiful person, very kind, friendly, respectful.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was “heartbroken” for the family that lost mother and child, and grateful for the lives that were saved.
What’s Next
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the NYPD are conducting an active marine casualty investigation into the circumstances and cause of the fatal capsizing. As the federal case against Hernandez moves forward, investigators will examine whether overcrowding and the alleged illegal charter operation contributed to the tragedy—questions that could have broader implications for recreational boating safety in New York Harbor.