A boat carrying 14 people overturned in New York Harbor near Liberty Island late Saturday night, leaving a 27 year old woman and her 5 month old daughter dead. The incident occurred around 10:25 p.m. on August 8, 2026, close to the Statue of Liberty. Police received a 911 call reporting the overturned vessel in the waters of Upper New York Bay.
The boat was a 21 foot to 22 foot Yamaha or Bayliner bowrider motorboat operated by Manuel Hernandez, a 46 year old resident of Manhattan. Hernandez was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the capsizing. The U.S. Coast Guard is examining whether the vessel operated as an illegal charter without proper credentials or safety requirements. Further charges related to the deaths remain possible as the probe proceeds.
Sara Sanchez, 27, of College Point in Queens, and her infant daughter Antonella Garcia were among the passengers. New York Police Department divers located the mother and child in the water after the boat flipped. Both were taken in critical condition to NYU Langone Health Brooklyn, where they were pronounced dead. Sanchez’s boyfriend, who is also the father of the baby, was on board and survived. The remaining 12 people on the vessel were rescued from the water and treated for minor injuries. They remain in stable condition.
A nearby vessel, identified as the See the City II, reached the scene first and pulled most of the survivors from the water before official responders arrived. Emergency teams then deployed in force. The response included two U.S. Coast Guard boats from Station New York, four New York City Fire Department boats, two New York Police Department boats, and an NYPD helicopter. Harbor Unit, scuba, and aviation teams all participated in the search and recovery. The boat was later towed to shore and remains in police custody.
Coast Guard Sector New York Commander Captain Doreen McCarthy stated that the agency is conducting an active marine casualty investigation in coordination with the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the NYPD. Officials have not released the full cause of the overturn or exact passenger details beyond the confirmed numbers. Online information on similar boats indicates a typical capacity near 10 people, though sources familiar with harbor conditions noted the vessel should not have carried more than five passengers in that area due to local hazards.
