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The driver of a vessel that overturned close to the Statue of Liberty has been taken into custody following an accident that claimed the lives of a 27-year-old woman and her five-month-old daughter.
The New York Police Department said the operator, identified by US media as 46-year-old Manhattan resident Manuel Hernandez, is facing 13 charges of reckless endangerment.
The incident occurred late Saturday evening in the waters surrounding Liberty Island, prompting an extensive emergency response involving police, firefighters and the US Coast Guard.
Authorities said a distress call was received at about 10:25 p.m. local time, reporting that a boat had overturned.
Twelve people were initially pulled from the water and were later described as being in stable condition.
Police divers subsequently located the woman and the infant beneath the water.
Both were taken to a nearby medical facility, where they were pronounced dead.
The identities of the victims have not been formally released by authorities.
However, their names were disclosed by colleagues of the woman and confirmed by law-enforcement sources speaking to US media.
Il Punto Ristorante, where the woman’s husband worked, identified the victims on social media as Sara Sanchez and her daughter, Antonella Garcia.
The restaurant said Sanchez and the baby were travelling with Andres Garcia, who survived the accident.
The establishment described the outing as a family occasion that had ended in tragedy.
A nearby sightseeing company, Sea the City, reportedly noticed the overturned vessel and assisted in bringing 11 people to safety.
Its founder, Adam Schwartz, said the company’s crew responded after spotting the capsized boat.
The rescue effort included two Coast Guard vessels, four boats from the New York Fire Department, two police boats and an NYPD helicopter.
Investigators are still working to establish what caused the vessel to overturn.
The US Coast Guard is also examining whether the boat was being operated as an unauthorised passenger charter.
Such operations are required to meet federal safety standards, including appropriate documentation, equipment and inspection certification.
Coast Guard Capt Doreen McCarthy praised the emergency teams and a nearby civilian vessel for their rapid response, saying their actions helped save people who had fallen into the water.
The investigation remains ongoing.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong