NEW YORK — A 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old daughter died after a motorboat carrying 14 people capsized near Liberty Island in New York Harbor, authorities said, as investigators examined whether the vessel was operating as an unauthorized charter.
The woman, Sara Sanchez, and her daughter, Antonella Garcia, were pulled from the water after the boat overturned late Saturday but were later pronounced dead at a Brooklyn hospital, according to authorities and multiple reports. Twelve other people aboard were rescued, with several taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The New York Police Department said it received a 911 call at about 10:25 p.m. reporting an overturned vessel near Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty stands. NYPD harbor, aviation and scuba units responded, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and other emergency personnel.
The vessel's operator, 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, was arrested and initially charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, according to authorities. Federal prosecutors later charged Hernandez in connection with the deaths, alleging that he operated the boat without required licensing and failed to ensure appropriate child-sized flotation equipment was available. Hernandez appeared in federal court and was released on $50,000 bail, according to the Associated Press.
Court documents cited in reports say the boat was a 22-foot Yamaha speedboat and was carrying 14 people, exceeding its stated capacity of 10. Investigators are also examining whether Hernandez was conducting a paid charter without the required Coast Guard credentials.
Authorities have not publicly established the definitive cause of the capsizing. Initial reports said the boat overturned after encountering a swell while operating near Liberty Island. The Coast Guard Investigative Service is participating in the investigation.
The deaths have prompted scrutiny of boating safety and the operation of potentially unauthorized passenger services in New York Harbor. The investigation remains ongoing, and any further criminal charges or regulatory findings will depend on evidence gathered by federal and local authorities.
