By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-10 19:56:04 | Updated at 2026-08-10 20:10:29
17 minutes ago
The captain of a motorboat that capsized in New York Harbor and killed a mom and her baby was not licensed to operate the vessel – and was actually hired as a limo driver, new court documents reveal.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, was allegedly running an illegal charter operation when he overloaded the 21-foot boat with 13 passengers on Saturday night, and lacked required safety standards that included child or infant-sized life jackets, federal prosecutors said.
The captain of a motorboat that capsized in New York Harbor and killed a mom and her baby was not licensed to operate the vessel. Paul Martinka for NY PostSara Sanchez, 27, and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, drowned shortly before 10:30 p.m. when the boat was struck by a swell while making a U-turn near Liberty Island, while panicked survivors clung to the overturned vessel until help arrived.
Hernandez was arraigned in Manhattan federal court Monday afternoon on misconduct and neglect charges — still wearing a white bathing suit and swim shoes as he faced the judge.
Follow the latest on the boat crash off Liberty Island in New York Harbor:
- Heartbreaking photos show mom who died alongside infant in NYC boat crash as GoFundMe launched in support of husband
- Feds investigating if captain of boat that flipped in New York Harbor was running illegal charter business
- Captain hit with slew of charges after boat capsizes near Liberty Island, killing mother and her baby
- Grim photos show doomed boat pulled from New York Harbor hours after deadly crash killed 2, including tot
He was arrested following the tragic mishap and hit with more than a dozen counts of reckless endangerment by the NYPD before the feds also brought charges against him.
Sara Sanchez (left) and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, died in the capsized boat accident. Instagram/Sara SanchezHernandez was due to be released on a $50,000 bond pending his next hearing on Sept. 9.
Survivors told The Post that the captain swam to the hull of the overturned boat while passengers scrambled to find loved ones – and the doomed mother and daughter – to no avail.
