A boat operator has been arrested and charged with reckless endangerment after his vessel capsized near the Statue of Liberty on the night of 9 August 2026, killing a woman and a five-month-old infant, New York police said. Twelve of the fourteen people aboard were pulled from the water during a large-scale search and rescue operation in New York Harbour.
According to a CNN affiliate report, the captain has been identified as 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, who was taken into custody at roughly 2:30 a.m. on Sunday and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment. That account differs from an earlier NYPD statement cited by a national broadcaster's report, which said no arrests had been made and that Coast Guard investigators were still travelling to interview the captain.
What happened on the water?
Police said they received a 911 call at approximately 10:25 p.m., prompting the dispatch of divers and aviation units to the scene, according to the same broadcaster's report. The vessel, described by the CNN affiliate as a 22-foot recreational bowrider, overturned near Liberty Island, and the woman and infant were later recovered from the water by police divers, according to the broadcaster's report.
The rescue effort drew on two Coast Guard boats, four fire department boats, two police boats and a police helicopter, the US Coast Guard said. Twelve people were pulled from the harbour alive.
Who were the victims and what is being investigated?
The woman and the baby were transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where they were later pronounced dead, according to the CNN affiliate report. The identities of the passengers and the precise cause of the capsizing have not been made public. Coast Guard investigators are also examining whether the boat was operating as an illegal charter.
Coast Guard Capt Doreen McCarthy praised those who assisted in the rescue, stating:
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.
What happens next?
The US Coast Guard said its investigation into the cause of the capsizing will continue, and that investigators still intend to interview the vessel's captain. Officials have not given a timeline for when further findings or charges might be announced.
Key Facts
- The incident occurred near Liberty Island in New York Harbour on the night of 9 August 2026.
- Fourteen people were reportedly aboard the 22-foot bowrider; twelve were rescued.
- A woman and a five-month-old infant died after being recovered by police divers and taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn.
- Manuel Hernandez, 46, was arrested and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, according to a CNN affiliate, though the NYPD initially said no arrests had been made.
- The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the capsizing and whether the vessel was illegally chartered.
