The operator of a vessel that capsized near Liberty Island in New York Harbor late Saturday has been arrested and charged, while federal investigators examine whether the boat was carrying passengers illegally.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, of New York, faces 13 counts of reckless endangerment after the overnight accident that killed Sara Sanchez, 27, and her five-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia. Both were residents of Queens. Hernandez was taken into federal custody on Sunday and the case has been referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Rescue and response
The NYPD received a 911 call at 10:25 p.m. reporting an overturned boat in the vicinity of Liberty Island. Harbour unit officers, divers and aviation assets responded. Twelve people had already been pulled from the water by the time police arrived, rescued by a passing sightseeing vessel, the Sea the City II.
NYPD divers located Sanchez and her daughter in the water. Both were rushed to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn in critical condition and pronounced dead shortly after. The remaining passengers were reported in stable condition.
Adam Schwartz, whose company operates the hot-tub sightseeing boat that performed the rescue, told The Associated Press his captain and crew coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard and NYPD harbour units to bring survivors ashore in Brooklyn.
Illegal charter investigation
The Coast Guard has opened a marine casualty investigation alongside its investigative service and the NYPD. A central focus is whether the capsized vessel was operating as an illegal charter, a passenger-for-hire operation that lacks required Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment and a certificate of inspection.
"Illegal charter operations often lack necessary safety equipment and may not meet the same safety standards as legal charters, posing a safety hazard to paying passengers," the Coast Guard said in a release.
Capt. Doreen McCarthy, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York, expressed condolences to the victims' families and praised the rapid response of partner agencies and the Good Samaritan vessel.
Based on reporting by Global News.