Boat Safety and Incidents Near the Statue of Liberty

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A series of developments concerning safety incidents, operations, and legal actions related to boat operations around the Statue of Liberty, including capsizing events and associated investigations.

ICE arrests speedboat pilot in fatal Statue of Liberty capsizing

2026-08-20

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, the pilot of a speedboat that capsized during a tour around the Statue of Liberty on Aug. 8, killing a 5-month-old girl and her 27-year-old mother, the Department of Homeland Security said Monday. Immigration authorities took him into custody after he was released on bail in a pending federal criminal case charging him with causing the deaths through misconduct or neglect.

Boat operator arrested after fatal capsizing near Statue of Liberty

2026-08-09

New York police have arrested the operator of a boat that capsized near the Statue of Liberty on Saturday night, killing a woman and a five-month-old baby, and charged him with reckless endangerment. Twelve people were rescued from the water during a large search and rescue operation in New York Harbour.

Boat capsizes off Liberty Island, killing woman and 5-month-old

2026-08-09

A woman and a 5-month-old girl died Saturday night after a boat capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island, police said. The boat overturned around 10:25 p.m., and 12 people were rescued from the water before officers arrived.