Boat captain arrested after capsizing near Statue of Liberty kills woman and infant

A boat overturned near Liberty Island in New York Harbor on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of a 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old infant. The vessel’s captain, identified as 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, was taken into custody and charged with reckless endangerment, according to a U.S. Coast Guard statement released Sunday.

Coast Guard investigators are working with New York police to determine whether the trip was an illegal charter operation. The victims were transported to NYU Langone Health Brooklyn in critical condition and later pronounced dead at the hospital. Eleven other passengers were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals with minor injuries, the FDNY said.

The capsized boat was towed to shore and remains under police custody. Officials have not disclosed further details about the boat or its ownership. Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, is a major tourist destination in the harbor.