Manuel Hernandez was charged with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death in the accident, which killed Sara Sanchez, 27, and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia.
Fatal Capsizing Near Liberty Island
The deadly incident unfolded late Saturday night just before 10:30 p.m. off Liberty Island, according to law enforcement sources cited by the New York Post. The vessel involved—a 21-foot white Yamaha motorboat, identified by the Post as an AR210 bowrider—flipped over in choppy waters near Buoy 32, between the Statue of Liberty and the Bay Ridge Anchorage, as reported by Metro.
Emergency 911 calls triggered a massive multi-agency response. Units from the NYPD, FDNY, U.S. Coast Guard, and Air Sea Rescue scoured the dark harbor, utilizing rescue boats and helicopters with emergency lighting to pull survivors from the water.
Investigators determined that the boat was severely overloaded at the time of the tragedy. While online specifications place the bowrider’s standard seating capacity at a maximum of 10 passengers, NYPD sources confirmed that 14 people were packed on board. A well-placed maritime source told the New York Post that given harbor conditions, an AR210 is better suited for no more than five passengers, navigating hazards such as uncharted debris, riprap, and bridge abutments.
Criminal Charges and Coast Guard Investigation
Manuel Hernandez, 46, whose last known address is a luxury condo building off Central Park South in Manhattan, was taken into custody following the mishap. On Sunday, August 9, 2026, authorities hit Hernandez with a total of 13 charges of reckless endangerment, alongside two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death. Police conducted toxicology tests on Hernandez and determined he did not appear to be impaired at the time of the crash.
Federal and local authorities are also investigating whether the vessel was operating as an illegal charter. The Coast Guard issued a press release highlighting that unauthorized passenger-for-hire operations often lack required safety equipment and fail to meet the standards of legal charters.
“We are committed to holding illegal operators accountable to the highest extent of the law to ensure the safety of everyone on our waterways,” said Capt. Doreen McCarthy, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York, according to Metro.
Victims and Survivors
The capsizing claimed the lives of Sara Sanchez, 27, and her infant daughter, Antonella Garcia. Both victims lived in the College Point neighborhood of Queens. Rescuers fished the mother and baby from the water in critical condition and airlifted them to a Brooklyn hospital, where they were pronounced dead. According to law enforcement sources, Sanchez’s boyfriend and the infant’s father was also on the boat and survived the disaster.
The remaining 11 passengers were rescued from the water and transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn in stable condition, treated for minor injuries and non-life-threatening impacts. Recovery crews spent Sunday morning lifting the upturned vessel out of the water and transferring the wreckage to an NYPD Harbor Unit base in Brooklyn for continued forensic examination.
