MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A 7-year-old boy and a woman died after a boat they were on capsized in the Hudson River Tuesday afternoon, prompting a rescue response by the NYPD, officials said.
Divers pulled the woman and child who died out of the water, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. They were both unresponsive when they were brought to the surface.
"This is a tragic day for New Yorkers," Sewell said.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said 12 people, including at least one child, were on the 27-foot boat when it overturned. Two people who were on the boat suffered critical injuries. Rescue units found two of the victims drifting near the boat.
The incident happened around 2:45 p.m. near Pier 84, according to the NYPD. The emergency services, harbor, aviation and scuba units were deployed. Video from AIR11 showed the boat completely flipped over in the water with an NYPD boat circling the craft.
The boat is believed to be a recreational vessel that originated from New Jersey, sources told PIX11 News. The boat was chartered by a group of family and friends, police said. The boat's captain was licensed.
Mayor Eric Adams called Tuesday's incident a "devastating moment." He said it served as a reminder that while the water is enjoyable, it can be dangerous.
"Our hearts go out to a group of people who were just using the water in our city,
A spokesperson for the NY Waterway said staff members from two of its ferries assisted with the rescue.
“This afternoon at approximately 3 p.m., NY Waterway responded to an emergency when a private boat overturned in the Hudson River, just north of the Pier 79 Midtown ferry terminal. Two NY Waterway ferries, the Garden State and the John Stevens, arrived on the scene and their crews rescued 9 passengers from the private boat,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The rescue affected some NY Waterway ferry routes, but all routes have since resumed regular service.
