Angelo Bavaro, Nicole Alarcon, and Video credit: Cory McGinnis
4 hours ago
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — A man is facing charges after a woman and her 5-month-old baby died when a vessel capsized in the New York Harbor on Saturday evening.
Officials said NYPD divers reported a vessel near Liberty Island had overturned around 10:30 p.m.
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The Coast Guard, FDNY, and NYPD responded to a report of an overturned vessel and that all 14 passengers on board were in the water.
The Coast Guard says everyone was recovered except for the mother, later identified as Sara Sanchez, 27, of Queens, and her 5-month-old daughter, who were both pronounced dead shortly after.
The 12 other people suffered minor injuries.
The captain of the boat, 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, was arrested early Sunday and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment.
“This is just really heartbreaking, but it was preventable,” said Rosa Olivero of Brooklyn. “Now he has to face whatever consequences come with it.”
In a statement, the Coast Guard Sector New York Commander says they are committed to holding illegal operators accountable to the highest extent of the law.
An illegal charter is any passenger-for-hire vessel operation that lacks required U.S. Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment, and a certificate of inspection.