ICE detains captain in fatal NY Harbor boat capsizing

The captain of a boat that capsized in New York Harbor on August 8, 2026, killing a 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old daughter, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following a federal investigation into his immigration status. Manuel Hernandez, 46, an El Salvador national, is now in federal custody and faces deportation after completing his criminal trial for the deaths of Sara Sanchez and her infant daughter, Antonella Garcia.

The tragedy occurred when a 22-foot Yamaha AR210 vessel carrying 14 people, well over its capacity of 9 to 10 passengers, capsized near Liberty Island. Federal prosecutors allege Hernandez, who was not licensed to carry paying passengers, was conducting an unlicensed commercial tour as part of a birthday celebration. He allegedly piloted the boat into a swell and accelerated the throttle to pass through it, causing the vessel to capsize immediately. No infant-sized life vests were on board.

Emergency responders from the NYPD Harbor Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard pulled survivors from the water. Sanchez and her daughter were recovered unresponsive and pronounced dead at nearby hospitals. The infant’s father, Andres Garcia,...