Two children, aged seven and nine, have died following a boating incident off the coast of Berkeley Township, New Jersey. The incident occurred on Saturday night when the 30-foot Tidewater Custom 280 vessel they were on struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker.
State Police reported that the impact caused the two juveniles to be ejected into the water. The occupants of the boat, identified as 63-year-old operator Stephen Schneider and 64-year-old Laurie Schneider, located the children unresponsive in the water. The couple is believed to be the children's grandparents.
Following the incident, the children were transported to a local hospital, where they were pronounced deceased. Authorities stated that the preliminary investigation confirmed the vessel struck the channel marker. The New Jersey State Police are continuing to investigate the crash and have not released further details.
Sources indicated that the group had been at MJ's Restaurant Bar and Grill prior to boarding the boat. The vessel, a Tidewater Custom 280, was traveling through the Intercoastal Waterway at the time of the collision with the marker.