Infant among 2 dead after boat capsizes near Statue of Liberty, 12 plunged into dark waters
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A night on New York Harbor turned deadly Saturday, August 8 after a boat overturned near the Statue of Liberty, killing a 5-month-old baby and a 27-year-old woman.
Eleven other people were rescued and taken to hospitals with minor injuries.
The boat’s captain was arrested following the incident, as the US Coast Guard and New York authorities began investigating both the accident and whether the vessel was being used for an illegal charter operation.
A woman and child died when a boat capsized off the coast of Liberty Island in New York Harbor Saturday night, police said. https://t.co/xZebmHaP7D pic.twitter.com/LsOc09zTHI
— New York Post (@nypost) August 9, 2026
Two dead after boat capsizes
The captain faces a reckless endangerment charge, the Coast Guard said in a statement released Sunday.
Investigators are now working with the New York Police Department to determine exactly how the boat ended up in the water and whether there were violations surrounding its operation.
The Coast Guard said authorities are examining “whether the operation constitutes an illegal charter operation.”
The vessel was reportedly towed back to shore and remains in police custody while the investigation continues.
No details have been released about the boat or its operator.
The two victims were reportedly airlifted to NYU Langone Health Brooklyn after being recovered from the water, according to the NYPD.
The woman and infant were both listed in critical condition when they arrived at the hospital. They were later pronounced dead.
Their identities have not been released.
BREAKING: A 5-month-old baby and a woman have died after a boat overturned near the Statue of Liberty late Saturday night.
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) August 9, 2026
About 12 of the 14 people on board were pulled from the water by rescuers. The infant and woman were recovered by divers, airlifted to a Brooklyn hospital… pic.twitter.com/R5iII8HXuw
Multiple people remain hospitalized
The FDNY said 11 other people were rescued and transported to hospitals around the area with minor injuries. Officials have not provided further details about their conditions.
It remains unclear what caused the boat to capsize or what happened immediately before passengers ended up in the harbor.
The accident happened near Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, one of New York Harbor’s best-known landmarks.
The statue was presented to the United States by France and formally dedicated in 1886.
Liberty Island remains a major tourist destination, with visitors arriving by boat to see the monument and the surrounding harbor.
The deadly incident unfolded in an area normally associated with sightseeing and harbor tours.
For now, investigators have not announced a cause for the capsizing, and the Coast Guard and NYPD investigation remains underway.
