Tragic drowning near the Statue of Liberty claims lives of a mother and her 5-month-old baby

A maritime tragedy occurred Saturday evening near the Statue of Liberty in New York, where a young mother and her 5-month-old daughter died after the boat they were on, carrying 14 people, capsized.

The serious incident triggered a massive rescue operation in the busy waters of the city’s harbor.

The boat with 14 people overturned in the Hudson River, near the mark known as Buoy 32, between Liberty Island and Bay Ridge Anchorage. Police said the first 911 call came in around 10:25 p.m., signaling the capsized vessel near the island that hosts the iconic monument.

Most of the passengers were pulled from the water before law enforcement arrived on scene. A separate tourist boat, which offers harbor rides with two hot tubs, was the first to reach the area. Its captain and crew rescued 11 survivors, while a 12th person was also pulled from the water before police arrived.

Unfortunately, the victims were found later by specialized search and rescue units. Sara Sanchez, 27, and her daughter Antonella Garcia, residents of Queens, were pulled out in critical condition and rushed to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn. Despite efforts, they could not survive and were pronounced dead.

The baby’s father was among the passengers on board and survived the accident. Authorities reported that the other survivors were in stable condition.

The boat’s captain, Manuel Hernandez, 46, was taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday morning. The New York City Police Department charged him with 13 counts of reckless endangerment of others.

The Coast Guard has launched a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident. The main suspicions center on the possibility that the vessel was operating as an illegal charter, without the proper permits and certifications. Such an unregistered service implies a lack of inspection certificates, essential safety equipment, and Coast Guard-issued authorizations.

Captain Doreen McCarthy, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York, stated that the agency is determined to hold unlawful operators fully accountable under the law, to protect the safety of navigation for everyone.

Although the type of boat involved in this tragedy has not yet been officially determined, sources close to the investigation told CNN there are indications the vessel may have been overloaded beyond its permitted capacity. Local affiliate WABC reported it was a bowrider about 22 feet long, a common model of recreational motorboat.

The extensive rescue operation involved air and water units from the Coast Guard, the New York City Fire Department, and the NYPD. Also deployed on the scene were the police marine unit, dive teams, and aviation forces, all specialized in rescue missions under difficult conditions.

The ongoing investigation aims to clarify whether the boat’s limited capacity, navigation conditions, or other factors led to this fatal sinking. The area where the accident occurred is one of the busiest in New York Harbor, with dense daily traffic of commercial ships, tourist vessels, and private recreational craft.