A 5-month-old infant and a 27-year-old woman died late Saturday night when a 22-foot power boat overturned near Liberty Island in New York Harbor, prompting a major multi-agency rescue effort that pulled 14 people from the water.
What should have been a routine weekend evening on the water instead transformed into a frantic rescue operation after a small bowrider power boat capsized in the Hudson River near the Statue of Liberty. While twelve passengers were rescued and treated for minor injuries, the tragedy claimed the lives of 27-year-old Sarah Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia.
The Late-Night Capsizing Near Liberty Island
The accident occurred at approximately 10:20 p.m. on Saturday night near Buoy 32 in the Hudson River, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. The vessel involved was a 22-foot bowrider power boat—a craft typically rated to safely hold roughly 10 to 12 people. According to statements from the New York Police Department, the vessel was dangerously overloaded with 14 individuals on board when it flipped over.
Emergency responders from multiple municipal and federal branches flooded the area as word of the capsizing spread. Units from the Fire Department of the New York City (FDNY), alongside NYPD Harbor, Scuba, and Aviation divisions, rushed to the scene between Liberty Island and the Bay Ridge Anchorage. Witness Madeline Hunter recalled the sudden escalation of emergency vehicles arriving at the waterfront.
“I saw a lot of ambulances, firefighters, and then I saw that there were boats here,”
Madeline Hunter, Witness
Hunter added that bystanders quickly realized the severity of the situation.
“And then people were just speaking that there was a mother and a child that needed to be rescued from the water and that they were found.”
Madeline Hunter, Witness
Heroic Rescues and the Hospital Response
Before emergency services fully secured the area, civilian mariners pitched in. A sightseeing company’s vessel, the hot tub boat Sea the City II operated by Adam Schwartz, was cruising nearby when the accident took place and took the 12 survivors onboard.
“Our captain and both crew members immediately assisted, called in to the Coast Guard and … then coordinated with the Coast Guard and NYPD Harbor units to bring them to land in Brooklyn,”
Adam Schwartz, Sightseeing Company Operator
Divers from the New York Police Department recovered Sarah Sanchez and 5-month-old Antonella Garcia directly from the water. Both victims were in critical condition when transported to NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn where they were later pronounced dead. The twelve other passengers rescued from the harbor were treated at local hospitals for minor injuries.
Criminal Charges and the Illegal Charter Investigation
In the wake of the tragedy, law enforcement moved quickly against the boat’s operator. Manuel Hernandez, 46, of Manhattan, was arrested and formally charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment. Investigators are examining whether the excursion was operating outside federal maritime laws.
The U.S. Coast Guard stated that investigators are actively looking into whether the voyage functioned as an illegal charter. Under federal guidelines, an illegal charter involves any passenger-for-hire operation that lacks Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment and inspection certificates.
“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,”
Capt. Doreen McCarthy, Coast Guard Sector New York Commander
McCarthy also expressed appreciation for the rapid intervention of civilian and municipal personnel.
“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.”
Capt. Doreen McCarthy, Coast Guard Sector New York Commander
Community Grief and Ongoing Harbor Safety Concerns
Neighbors in College Point, Queens, where Sanchez lived, expressed deep shock over the sudden loss. Local resident Diego Naranjo shared his sorrow with reporters.
“I’m in shock,”
Diego Naranjo, Neighbor
Naranjo added, For the family, sending condolences to the family. May they rest in peace in heaven.
As the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the NYPD continue their joint inquiry into the Liberty Island wreck, prosecutors prepare to move forward with the thirteen criminal counts filed against Hernandez.
