{"id":317672,"date":"2026-08-10T12:00:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/317672\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T12:00:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:00:14","slug":"federal-authorities-take-over-case-against-captain-charged-in-deadly-new-york-boat-capsizing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/317672\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal authorities take over case against captain charged in deadly New York boat capsizing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>       <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/120461-boatrecoveredstatueliberty-hnk-digvid-hori-clean-thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"120461_BoatRecoveredStatueLiberty-hnk-digvid-hori-clean-thumbnail.jpg\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1920\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Boat recovered by authorities after it capsized near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor (Source: Luiz C. Ribeiro)\n                <\/p>\n<p>       <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/120461-boatrecoveredstatueliberty-hnk-digvid-hori-clean-thumbnail.jpg&amp;q=w_860,c_fill\" alt=\"120461_BoatRecoveredStatueLiberty-hnk-digvid-hori-clean-thumbnail.jpg\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"1080\" width=\"1920\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Boat recovered by authorities after it capsized near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor (Source: Luiz C. Ribeiro)<\/p>\n<p>        0:28<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7s00013b6rhdhrkj8t@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Federal prosecutors have taken over the case against the captain of a boat that capsized in the busy waters near the Statue of Liberty on Saturday night, killing a young mother and her 5-month-old daughter, as authorities investigate what caused the boat to overturn.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7s00023b6rqe4vk2p5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Manuel Hernandez, 46, of Manhattan, was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/08\/09\/us\/new-york-boat-capsized-hnk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">arrested early Sunday<\/a> and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, just hours after the boat carrying 14 people overturned in New York Harbor, the New York Police Department said.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsn1dhwd00053b6rrws308tj@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            He has since been transferred to federal custody after receiving treatment at a hospital, according to CNN affiliate <a href=\"https:\/\/abc7ny.com\/post\/federal-prosecutors-take-liberty-island-boat-capsize-case-killed-mother-infant\/19655468\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WABC<\/a>. It is not yet clear when Hernandez is scheduled to appear in court, or whether he has retained an attorney.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7s00043b6rktye0z18@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Authorities are investigating whether the captain was running an illegal charter without required credentials and safety equipment, the Coast Guard said. Investigators believe the boat was likely over capacity, a law enforcement source briefed on the matter told CNN.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7s00083b6rjicpx1s1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Police responded to a 911 call about 10:25 p.m. Saturday reporting an overturned vessel near Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t00093b6rio555rcc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            A large, multi-agency emergency response ensued in the dark waters south of Manhattan, between New Jersey and Brooklyn. Air and water rescue teams responded from the Coast Guard, the city\u2019s fire department and the NYPD, including a scuba diving team.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000a3b6rcnvp8cw4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Twelve of the 14 people aboard were pulled from the water before police arrived. Eleven were saved by the captain and crew of the first boat to reach the scene \u2013 a hot tub boat, a small vessel outfitted with two full-size hot tubs for harbor tours, according to Adam Schwartz, owner of the tour company Sea the City. The survivors are in stable condition, the Coast Guard said.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000b3b6rhyqx9fih@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Search-and-rescue teams later found Sara Sanchez, 27, and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, both of Queens. They were taken to NYU Langone Hospital\u2013Brooklyn in critical condition and later pronounced dead, police said. The baby\u2019s father was aboard and survived, a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsn1n5tm00183b6rtyc02uy5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The employer of the baby\u2019s father told WABC the couple had a 6-year-old son who was with a sitter while they joined church friends on the boat to celebrate a birthday.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000c3b6r0l0mnrhc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Neighbors of the family told WABC they are heartbroken over the tragedy.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000d3b6ricyelqaw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cI\u2019m in shock,\u201d Diego Naranjo said. \u201cFor the family, sending condolences to the family. May they rest in peace in heaven.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000f3b6rf4fgmkek@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The waters around Liberty Island are among the busiest in the harbor, used by commercial and recreational vessels alike and served by numerous charter and tour operators offering close-up views of the Statue of Liberty.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000g3b6rgz1uga6m@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            WABC reported the boat involved was a 22-foot bowrider, a common recreational powerboat. CNN has reached out to authorities for more information.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsn2ri7k00123b6rs7s8gvko@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The US District Court for the Southern District of New York is handling the case, according to the NYPD. CNN has reached out to the US District Court and Manhattan District Attorney\u2019s office for comment. The US Coast Guard is running its inquiry with the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the NYPD.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000h3b6raxnfjnid@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe are committed to holding illegal operators accountable to (the) highest extent of the law to ensure the safety of everyone on our waterways,\u201d said Capt. Doreen McCarthy, the Coast Guard\u2019s Sector New York commander.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsn1qo0h001m3b6rfitjao8t@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            On Sunday, the boat was recovered by authorities from New York Harbor. Video shared with CNN showed the vessel overturned and floating with its hull exposed as NYPD officers coordinated recovery efforts.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000j3b6rpgv5e1ng@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            If the vessel was carrying paying passengers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news.uscg.mil\/Press-Releases\/Article\/4497664\/coast-guard-terminates-illegal-charter-vessel-near-big-sarasota-pass\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">federal rules<\/a> generally require additional credentials and inspections once a boat carries more than six passengers for hire, according to the Coast Guard.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmsmwwz7t000l3b6rgtq4dj8e@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            In July 2022, a boat chartered by a group of family and friends flipped in the Hudson River off Midtown Manhattan, killing 7-year-old Julian Vasquez and 47-year-old Lindelia Vasquez. The boat\u2019s owner and captain later pleaded guilty to a federal charge of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death. Prosecutors said he ran paying tours without the required Coast Guard credentials.\n    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Boat recovered by authorities after it capsized near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor (Source: Luiz&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":317673,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[9,24,55,54,56],"class_list":["post-317672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-city-headlines","tag-new-york-city-news","tag-ny"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317672"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317672\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/317673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}