Boat operator arrested after crash capsizes near Statue of Liberty

Alleged reckless endangerment leads to fatal maritime incident.

A vessel overturned late Saturday night while navigating New York’s harbors. The capsizing took the lives of a woman and her five‑month‑old child, and 12 other passengers were pulled from the water by Coast Guard, fire‑department and police teams.

New York police have taken the boat’s operator into custody and charged him with reckless endangerment. Investigators are also questioning whether the charter was legal, and the full list of passengers and the cause of the incident remain undisclosed.

The rescue effort was coordinated by two Coast Guard boats, four fire‑department vessels, two police boats and a police helicopter, underscoring the massive scale of the operation.

Coast Guard Captain Doreen McCarthy praised the swift actions of partner agencies and Good Samaritan vessels that helped pull survivors from the waves.