Overview
- A 21–22-foot tour boat capsized near Liberty Island on Aug. 8, throwing 14 people into New York Harbor and killing 27-year-old Sara Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter Antonella Garcia.
- Federal prosecutors charged Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death and New York authorities filed 13 reckless-endangerment counts.
- The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service found Hernandez unlawfully present in the country, and ICE took him into custody; DHS says he illegally entered through Texas in 2007 after falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
- A criminal complaint alleges the vessel was used as an unlicensed commercial charter, carried 14 people despite a 10-person capacity, lacked infant life jackets, and capsized after Hernandez made a U-turn and accelerated into a swell.
- Investigations by CGIS, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local agencies remain active, survivors and the victims' family are grieving, and the case is likely to prompt closer enforcement of small-passenger vessel safety and immigration action tied to criminal proceedings.