Two people, including a 7-year-old boy, died Tuesday after a chartered boat they were traveling on with 10 other people capsized in the Hudson River.
The incident took place in the waters off Pier 84 in Hell’s Kitchen, just north of the Lincoln Tunnel, a little before 3 p.m. on July 12, a police spokesperson said. The cause of the capsize has not been determined, as marine units have not yet righted the boat, which is now moored at Chelsea Piers.
FDNY and NYPD marine units responded to the scene and pulled two people drifting in the water near the boat. After that, scuba divers descended under the Hudson’s current and pulled up a 50-year-old woman and a 7-year-old boy, both of whom were unresponsive and were later pronounced dead.
Two others from the vessel are in the hospital fighting for their lives, including the captain, who is in critical condition, NYPD officials said.
As they did during other maritime emergencies such as 9/11 and the “Miracle on the Hudson,” NY Waterway came to the boaters’ aid Tuesday. Crew members of the Garden State and John Stevens ferries transported nine rescued individuals from the scene of the wreck, the ferry company said in a statement.
At a press conference on the west side of Manhattan, Mayor Eric Adams said that the incident was a tragedy, but said that the incident could have been worse had emergency personnel not responded with haste.
“We clearly saved lives of those that were part of this terrible incident that took place,” Adams said. “But it’s a clear reminder as we move to the summer months, the water is an enjoyable part of New York, but it can be a dangerous place. For those who jet ski, for those who are using boats and other activities. We want to remind people to be safe while they do so.”
