A 22-foot speedboat capsized near Liberty Island in New York Harbor late Saturday night, killing a 27-year-old mother and her 5-month-old daughter, according to authorities. The boat overturned around 10:20 p.m. carrying 14 people, prompting a large emergency response from the FDNY, NYPD Harbor units, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The victims were identified as Sara Sanchez, 27, of College Point, Queens, and her infant daughter Antonella Garcia. Both were transported to NYU Langone Brooklyn in critical condition, where they were pronounced dead. Twelve other passengers were rescued from the water and taken to hospitals with minor injuries.
The boat’s operator, 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez of Manhattan, was arrested early Sunday and initially charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment. On Saturday morning, Hernandez was transferred to federal custody as federal prosecutors consider additional charges, NBC News reported.
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating what caused the fatal capsizing and whether the vessel was operating as an illegal charter service without proper credentials. The boat, a 22-foot bowrider power boat, typically holds 10 to 12 people, according to police—raising questions about whether it was overloaded when it carried 14 passengers.
According to Eyewitness News, the group aboard the boat consisted of church friends celebrating a birthday. Sara Sanchez’s husband, the father of the 5-month-old, was also on the boat and survived the capsizing. The couple has a six-year-old son who was not aboard and was with a sitter that evening. Neighbors in College Point expressed shock at the tragedy; the family had no other relatives in the United States, having immigrated from Colombia.
Boating accidents in New York Harbor are not uncommon. The U.S. Coast Guard reported more than 600 boating accidents in New York state in 2020, including 31 fatalities and 269 injuries. In 2005, the tour boat Ethan Allen capsized on the Hudson River, killing 20 passengers in one of the deadliest passenger vessel incidents in recent U.S. history, according to news reports.
The Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Investigative Service are conducting an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding Saturday’s fatal capsizing. Federal charges against Hernandez could be announced as early as Monday.
Sources
- ABC7 Eyewitness News — identified victims as Sara Sanchez, 27, and Antonella Garcia, 5 months; reported Manuel Hernandez, 46, arrested and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment; provided details on boat type, rescue response, and family background.
- NBC News — confirmed Hernandez transferred to federal custody and federal charges being considered.
- U.S. Coast Guard — confirmed investigation into capsizing cause and whether vessel was operating as illegal charter.
- USA Today — confirmed arrest details and reckless endangerment charges.
- AP News — confirmed boat specifications (22-foot Bayliner speedboat, overturned around 10:25 p.m.) and rescue details.
- New York Daily News — confirmed victim identities and rescue timeline.
- Newsday — confirmed Manuel Hernandez’s identity, age, and initial charges.
