Boat capsizes in Hudson River off Manhattan
NEW YORK - A 47-year-old woman and her 7-year-old relative from Colombia were killed when their charter boat capsized on the Hudson River. Three people were in critical condition. Investigators were trying to figure out why the boat overturned Tuesday afternoon.
Two NY Waterway ferries — the Garden State and the John Stevens — rescued nine people from the boat around 3 p.m. off Manhattan's West Side, the company said in a statement.
Lindelia Vasquez and Julian Vasquez were identified as the victims. They were trapped under the boat, said Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell during a news conference.
Crews from the NYPD, FDNY, and U.S. Coast Guard, including divers, also responded to the overturned jet boat and pulled the rest of the people from the river, officials said.
"Unfortunately at this time, both of those individuals have been pronounced deceased," Sewell said. "This is a tragic day for New Yorkers. Indeed, it may have well been worse were it not for the incredible effort by not only our own extraordinary first responders but also the swift response from the New York Waterway ferries, who rescued nine additional people from the water."
At least three people, including the boat's captain, were in critical condition. Several others had minor injuries.
The captain of the boat was licensed, authorities said. The boat's owner was following behind on a personal watercraft, police said.
The 27-foot boat capsized near the Intrepid Museum, the decommissioned aircraft carrier docked near West 46th Street.
Inspector Anthony Russo, the commanding officer of the NYPD Harbor Unit, said the department is looking into conditions on the river, possible issues with the boat, and other potential causes.
"There's a lot of commercial and recreational traffic during the day here. We also have a lot of people on Jet Skis, kayaks," Russo said. "The Hudson River is always a dangerous place to operate."
"Our hearts go out to a group of people who were just using the water in our city," Mayor Eric Adams said at the news conference. "This is a devastating moment for them and those who were part of the families that were there."