Unlicensed NYC boat operator allegedly ignored safety warnings before mother, baby died in capsizing: feds
A New Jersey man faced federal charges Monday in connection with a fatal New York Harbor boat capsizing that claimed the lives of a young mother and her infant daughter over the weekend.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, of Manville, was charged with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He appeared Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo.
The tragedy unfolded Saturday evening when Hernandez piloted an overcrowded tour boat carrying 14 passengers—four more than the vessel's legal capacity—into New York Harbor. Among those aboard were 27-year-old Sara Sanchez, her partner Andres Garcia, and their two children: 5-month-old Antonella Garcia and the couple's 6-year-old son, Salvador.
According to federal prosecutors, Hernandez was not licensed to carry paying passengers for hire. Before the excursion began, he asked the infant's parents whether they had an infant-sized life vest. When they indicated they did not, Hernandez reportedly told them the boat had none either. He then instructed Sanchez to wear a life vest and hold the baby throughout the tour.
Approximately three hours and 20 minutes into the trip, as the vessel approached the Statue of Liberty, Hernandez made a U-turn. The boat encountered a swell—possibly created by the wake of a larger passing vessel—and Hernandez attempted to accelerate through it. The maneuver swamped the bow, causing the boat to capsize immediately. All 14 people were thrown into the water.
Emergency responders recovered Sanchez and her daughter unresponsive. Both were pronounced dead at a Brooklyn hospital. Andres Garcia and the couple's other child survived, along with nine additional passengers.
"This tragedy could have been prevented, and now a family is left to grieve the unimaginable loss of a mother and her five-month-old daughter because of his negligence," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Prosecutors said the boat belonged to a friend and was smaller than Hernandez's own vessel, which reportedly needed mechanical repairs. Hernandez allegedly admitted to investigators that he had piloted at least two other tours for the same company using his own boat without the required Merchant Mariner Credential or Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection. He said he was paid approximately $1,000 for each of those trips.
"The defendant allegedly flouted those regulations when he transported paying customers on a commercial vessel without appropriate licenses, overcrowded the vessel, and took on a five-month-old infant passenger, with no infant life vests onboard," said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.
Coast Guard Investigative Service Assistant Director Josh Packer said illegal charter operations create dangerous conditions.
"In this case, the alleged conduct led to an unthinkable tragedy," Packer said.
Friends and colleagues have organized a GoFundMe campaign to support Sanchez's family with funeral expenses and other costs. The fundraiser described the loss as irreplaceable. Andres Garcia is now left to raise the couple's 6-year-old son alone.