A woman and her five-month-old baby died after a boat capsized in New York on Saturday night, police have said. The New York Police Department said it was called to an overturned vessel carrying 14 people near Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, at 10:55 pm on Saturday.
Rescue efforts and casualties
The authority deployed a harbour unit, a scuba team and an aviation team to the scene, where 12 people had already been rescued from the water. A Sea the City boat initially saw the capsized boat and people in the water and helped 11 people out of the water, according to the company's founder, Adam Schwartz. The remaining survivors were taken to a local hospital and, according to police, had minor injuries.
Police identified the vessel as a 22-foot bowrider power boat, a type that typically holds 10 to 12 people. A 27-year-old woman and a 5-month-old baby girl were located and taken to NYU Langone Hospital, where they were declared deceased on arrival, according to authorities.
Victims identified
The woman was identified as Sara Sanchez, and her baby as Antonella Garcia. Their father, Andres Garcia, was also on the boat. Il Punto Ristorante, an Italian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, where Andres Garcia worked, said in an Instagram post: "What was meant to be a joyful family outing ended in unimaginable tragedy."
A coworker told CBS New York that Andres Garcia and Sanchez also have a six-year-old son, but it was not clear if he was also on the boat. Police said the family lived in Queens and neighbours told CBS New York they had just moved there about two months ago. The young father who survived is inconsolable, according to his boss, who said he worked hard to support his wife and children. They were from Colombia and had no other family in the US.
Captain arrested and investigation underway
The boat's captain has been arrested for reckless endangerment, and authorities are investigating whether the vessel was operating illegally as a charter, according to the US Coast Guard. Manuel Hernandez, 46, of New York, was arrested Sunday and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, the New York Police Department said.
Captain Doreen McCarthy, the Coast Guard Sector New York commander, 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. 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."
The US Coast Guard is investigating what caused the boat to capsize and whether the vessel was operating illegally as an uncredentialed charter.
