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A woman and her 5-month-old baby died after a boat capsized near Liberty Island in the New York Harbor Saturday night.
The boat’s captain was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement Sunday morning. Investigators with the Coast Guard are coordinating with New York police to determine “whether the operation constitutes an illegal charter operation.”
Police identified the captain as 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez. Court records were not immediately available and it is unclear whether Hernandez has an attorney.
The 27-year-old woman who died was identified as Queens resident Sara Sanchez and the baby was her daughter, Antonella Garcia, according to police. The New York City Police Department said both were taken to NYU Langone Health Brooklyn in critical condition and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Eleven other people were rescued and taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, according to the FDNY.
Officials have not released details about the boat or its operator. The Coast Guard confirmed to NBC News on Sunday morning that the vessel was towed to shore and remains in police custody.
Liberty Island, on the New Jersey side of New York Harbor, is home to the Statue of Liberty, the iconic sculpture gifted to the United States by France as symbol of the alliance between the two nations. The statue has lived on the island since its dedication in 1886 by President Grover Cleveland.
The island is a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors who climb to Lady Liberty’s crown for sweeping harbor views. Others opt for boat tours to take in the statue from the water.
Bella LoBue is a Assignment Editor at NBC News Digital.
I am a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, covering a range of news-of-the-day topics. My job is to report in a timely manner on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, domestic and international affairs, pop culture and more.
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