Two dead after boat capsizes near Statue of Liberty; captain arrested

A 22-foot motorboat capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island on Saturday night, killing a 27-year-old woman and a five-month-old girl. Twelve other people were pulled from the water after a large search and rescue operation. According to the US Coast Guard, a nearby vessel rescued the 12 before police arrived. The vessel overturned at approximately 10:25 p.m., according to initial reports. The woman who died was the mother of the infant girl, reports said. The cause of the capsizing remained unclear in the hours after the incident, and it was not yet known how many people were aboard the boat or whether it was overloaded. The boat's captain, Manuel Hernandez, 46, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning and charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment. According to reports, the charges include operating the boat while it was dangerously overloaded. The charges are allegations, not convictions, and the case is expected to draw scrutiny of safety practices on the small vessels that carry passengers around one of America's busiest tourist harbors.

Boat capsizes near Liberty Island on Saturday night

A 22-foot motorboat overturned in New York Harbor on the night of Saturday, August 8, 2026, close to Liberty Island, the site of the Statue of Liberty. According to initial reports, the vessel capsized at approximately 10:25 p.m., though the precise timing has not been officially confirmed.

The New York City Fire Department confirmed that more than a dozen people were pulled from the water after the vessel overturned, according to reports. The US Coast Guard said a nearby vessel reached those in the water before police arrived at the scene.

What caused the motorboat to capsize remained unclear at the time of initial reporting. Reports suggest the boat may have been dangerously overloaded, though this has not been confirmed, and the total number of people aboard has not been established. Weather and water conditions in the harbor at the time have also not been detailed by officials. Investigators have not yet said what led the small vessel to overturn in one of the busiest stretches of water in the United States.

A mother and her five-month-old daughter among the dead

Two people died as a result of the capsizing: a 27-year-old woman and a five-month-old girl. Reports suggest the woman was the infant's mother, though officials have not publicly confirmed their identities and neither victim has been named.

The pair were among those thrown into the water when the 22-foot motorboat overturned in New York Harbor. While twelve others were pulled from the water alive, the woman and the baby did not survive.

Authorities have released no further details about the victims, including where they were from or their connection to others aboard the vessel. The cause of the capsizing remained unclear at the time of initial reporting.

Twelve rescued in large search and rescue operation

Twelve people were pulled from the water after the vessel overturned, in what responders described as a large search and rescue operation. According to the US Coast Guard, a nearby vessel reached the scene first and rescued 12 people before police arrived. The New York City Fire Department confirmed that more than a dozen people were pulled from the water after the boat capsized, according to reports.

The rescue unfolded at night in New York Harbor, close to one of the busiest tourist sites in the United States. Emergency crews from multiple agencies took part in the operation.

The condition of the twelve survivors was not yet known at the time of initial reporting. Officials have not said whether any of those rescued required hospital treatment, nor have they released details about how long the search continued or how those in the water were located.

Captain charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment

The boat's captain, Manuel Hernandez, 46, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning, only hours after the 22-foot motorboat went down in New York Harbor. He has been charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment.

Reports suggest the charges include operating the vessel while it was dangerously overloaded, though authorities have not confirmed how many people were aboard or what the boat's capacity was. The cause of the capsizing itself remained unclear at the time of initial reporting, and investigators have yet to establish what led the vessel to overturn.

It is important to stress that the charges against Hernandez are allegations, not convictions. He is accused of reckless endangerment, and the case against him has not been proven in court. He is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until prosecutors establish guilt through due legal process.

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