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Capsize Near Liberty Island
A boat capsized near Liberty Island in New York Harbor on Saturday night, killing a 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old daughter, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and police.
“The 22-foot Bayliner speedboat overturned at about 10:25 p.m. Saturday near Liberty Island”
The Coast Guard said the 22-foot Bayliner speedboat overturned at about 10:25 p.m. Saturday near Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty is located, after authorities responded to a report of “persons on board going into the water.”
Police divers later found the woman and her infant daughter in the water, and both were taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn where they were pronounced dead.
The remaining passengers were rescued and were in stable condition, while the Coast Guard said investigators were coordinating with New York police to determine whether the operation constituted an illegal charter operation.
Charges and Official Response
Manuel Hernandez, 46, of New York, was arrested and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment after the capsizing, with the Coast Guard investigating the circumstances and cause.
The Coast Guard Sector New York commander Captain Doreen McCarthy said, “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,” in a statement.
Investigators were specifically looking into whether the vessel was an illegal charter operation, and the Coast Guard said it was working with the NYPD and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.
NBC News reported that the Coast Guard confirmed the vessel was towed to shore and remains in police custody, while court records were not immediately available and it was unclear whether Hernandez had an attorney.
Investigation and What’s at Risk
Authorities said the investigation includes whether the vessel lacked required Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment, or a certificate of inspection, with the Coast Guard describing illegal charter operations as posing a safety hazard to paying passengers.
“investigating whether the boat was part of an "illegal charter operation."”
The Coast Guard said rescue efforts involved two Coast Guard Station New York boats, four New York City Fire Department vessels and two NYPD boats, and an NYPD helicopter was also deployed to help with the rescue.
CNN reported that police received a 911 call at about 10:25 p.m. Saturday reporting an overturned vessel near Liberty Island, and that the boat was in the Hudson River near Buoy 32 between the Statue of Liberty and Bay Ridge Anchorage.
As the Coast Guard and NYPD continued their inquiry, the captain’s arrest and the 13 counts of reckless endangerment kept the focus on accountability for how the trip was conducted on New York Harbor waterways.
