A sightseeing cruise in the New York Harbor ended in catastrophe Saturday night when a small motorboat carrying 14 people capsized near the Statue of Liberty, killing a mother and her 5-month-old daughter.
The passengers, who had gathered to celebrate a birthday, were thrown into the dark water after the vessel overturned, screaming for help as rescuers raced to the scene.
The disaster has prompted a joint Coast Guard and New York City Police Department investigation into what caused the boat to flip — and whether the trip was operating as an unlawful charter. The vessel’s operator has been arrested and charged.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life,” Captain Doreen McCarthy, the Coast Guard Sector New York Commander, said in a press release. “We are committed to holding illegal operators accountable to [the] highest extent of the law.”
What happened?
Fourteen people boarded a 22-foot bowrider at Randall’s Island at about 7 p.m. for a surprise 41st-birthday celebration for Paula Rivera, her 20-year-old daughter, Sara Raez, told The New York Post. The family and friends had chartered the vessel through Zeus Luxury.
Hours after embarking, as the group returned from the Statue of Liberty, the boat — described by the Post as “dangerously overcrowded” — capsized.
“When we were heading back, we were slow, but out of nowhere, people started screaming because the front of the boat went into the water,” Raez told the Post. “The water got into the boat. The boat went up, and when it went down — it was in seconds — it flipped over.”
“Everyone was on the bottom of the boat,” she continued. “We were just trying to get out. Then, when finally everyone got out, everyone was screaming, because we were still missing them, too.”
Some passengers climbed onto the hull of the overturned boat and tried to signal a distant vessel for help, Raez said. A nearby “party boat” eventually came to their aid, throwing life jackets to those in the water.
The Coast Guard, New York City Police Department and New York City Fire Department responded with eight boats and a helicopter.
“While all persons on the overturned vessels were recovered, two of the passengers, a mother and child, were pronounced deceased shortly after recovery,” the Coast Guard said. “The remaining survivors are reported to be in stable condition.”
Adam Schwartz told The Associated Press that his company’s boat, Sea the City II, was in the area when the accident occurred and took on the 12 survivors.
“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,” Schwartz told the outlet.
Who were the victims?
The victims were identified as 27-year-old Sara Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, according to WABC. Both were taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead. Sanchez lived in College Point, Queens.
Among those rescued was Andres Garcia, Sanchez’s partner and Antonella’s father. The Post reported that Garcia was photographed weeping after the rescue.
Raez told the outlet that the couple also have a 6-year-old son, Salvador, who was not on the boat Saturday.
A GoFundMe fundraiser says Garcia suffered “a loss that no husband or father should ever have to endure.”
“No amount of money can replace Sara or Antonella,” the online fundraiser states. “But together, we can give Andres some breathing room to grieve, take care of their son, Salvador, and begin facing a future that changed in an instant.”
“I’m in shock,” Diego Naranjo, a neighbor of the family, told WABC. “For the family, sending condolences to the family. May they rest in peace in heaven.”
Who was charged?
The captain of the 22-foot vessel, 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, was arrested and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, the Post reported.
“Coast Guard Investigators are also determining whether the operation constitutes an illegal charter operation and are coordinating efforts in conjunction with NYPD,” the Coast Guard said. “An illegal charter is any passenger-for-hire vessel operation that lacks required U.S. Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment, and certificate of inspection.”
Although 14 people were aboard Saturday night, the boat had a maximum seating capacity of 10, the Post reported, citing police sources. Passengers were not required to wear life jackets, except for 5-month-old Antonella.
The case against Hernandez, who is from Manhattan, has been taken over by federal prosecutors, CNN reported.
Zeus Luxury describes itself as “one of the leading companies in limousine, party bus, and yacht rentals in the tri-state area,” with a fleet that includes “40 high-end vehicles from top brands.”
The Independent has contacted the company for comment.
