Key Highlights
- Twelve people were rescued from the water before police arrived.
- A 27-year-old woman and a 5-month-old infant died in the incident near Liberty Island.
- Captain Manuel Hernandez, 46, was moved into federal custody Sunday night on charges of reckless endangerment.
- The Coast Guard is investigating whether the vessel operated without proper credentials or safety equipment.
You might think this tragedy happens only to far-off islands. But it happened in New York Harbor right near where you could see the torch lit up at night. A 27-year-old woman named Sara Sanchez and her baby girl, Antonella Garcia, were taken from a speedboat that tipped over.
The vessel overturned around 10:25 p.m.
Saturday near Liberty Island home to the Statue of Liberty according to reports from the U.S. Coast Guard.
A Captain in Federal Custody
Captain Hernandez has been charged with reckless endangerment and is facing criminal charges after his boat capsized on Sunday night before he moved into custody.
The police said no phone number for him could be found, which makes this case a bit harder to track in online court records right now. Manuel Hernandez works at Il Punto restaurant as well if you recall the background details shared by witnesses earlier.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life last night,” said Captain Doreen McCarthy from the Coast Guard Sector New York Commander office during an official press briefing
The command was committed to holding lawbreakers accountable for their actions on that waterway. And they have defined what constitutes a violation under federal standards clearly.
An Illegal Charter Investigation Looms Large
The Coast Guard defines an illegal charter as any passenger-for-hire vessel operation lacking credentials or safety equipment certificates entirely.
This definition matters because you see how many vessels operate without proper oversight in the city. The 22-foot Bayliner speedboat was found overturned and authorities are looking at whether it lacked required inspection documents.
“We are extremely grateful for the heroic swift actions of our partner agencies,” said McCarthy regarding Good Samaritan vessel who assisted rescuing survivors
A commercial vessel named Sea The City helped rescue eleven individuals from water before landing in Brooklyn according to their statement.
Sara Sanchez and Antonella Garcia Lost Forever
The human cost of this crash is measured not just by bodies floating but a family shattered into pieces. Andres Garcia lost his wife and daughter in the speedboat capsizing tragedy involving reckless driving near Liberty Island last night.
The Il Punto restaurant has helped create a crowdfunding account to support the family after their loss according to official reports on August 9, 2026
“I just came in and I saw a lot of ambulances firefighters,” said Madeleine Montero who watched the rescue response unfold near Liberty Island.
Sometimes witnesses see white robes covering victims before they are attended to by emergency responders on scene immediately after being pulled from water
The Stakes for Commercial Vessels Are Higher Now
You might wonder why this matters when it does not happen every year. But safety equipment and credentials protect lives in ways that insurance policies cannot buy.
Twelve people were rescued from the water before police arrived at the scene initially according to NBC New York reporting on the event
“Our crew rescued eleven coordinated with authorities to bring rescued individual to land,” said Sea The City operator regarding their statement provided during interviews.
The vessel was named Sea The City and it helped rescue twelve people total from that specific water incident near Queens Harbor earlier in the day
“I saw a lot of ambulances firefighters boats here then people were speaking there was mother child needed rescued,” said Montero regarding her observations during the night shift.
The Coast Guard Sector New York Commander issued that statement on August 9, 2026 following the incident