The captain of a motorboat that capsized in New York Harbor on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of a mother and her infant daughter, was not licensed to operate the vessel and was employed as a limo driver, according to federal court documents.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, is accused of running an illegal charter operation when he overloaded the 21-foot boat with 13 passengers. Prosecutors stated that required safety standards, including child-sized life jackets, were also missing.
Sara Sanchez, 27, and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, drowned shortly before 10:30 p.m. The boat capsized near Liberty Island after being struck by a swell while making a U-turn. Survivors clung to the overturned vessel until authorities arrived.
Hernandez was arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Monday on misconduct and neglect charges. He was initially arrested by the NYPD and faced over a dozen counts of reckless endangerment before federal charges were also brought.
He was released on a $50,000 bond, with his next hearing scheduled for September 9. Survivors recounted that Hernandez swam to the hull of the overturned boat as passengers searched for loved ones, including the mother and child who were later found deceased.