Hudson River accident: Two dead as boat capsizes near New York City pier

Two people died in the tragic boating accident (Photo via New York Waterways)

In what could only be described as a tragic accident, an overloaded vessel capsized near Pier 86 in the Hudson River, Manhattan.

Two people, a seven-year-old boy, and a woman aged 50-year-old, got trapped underneath the capsized vessel and died, reported the rescue teams.

The vessel, named Stimulus Money, was a 27 feet long jet boat and was carrying 12 people on it. It launched from New Jersey and flipped around 2:45 p.m. into the Hudson River off West 46th Street, police reported.

Divers from NYPD and FDNY jumped into the water to rescue Julian and Lindelia Vasquez, the two trapped beneath the capsized vessel. The rescuers took them out of the river, and Julian was rushed to the nearest hospital.

---

Authorities unclear about the reasons for the Hudson River tragedy

It is unclear what caused the boat to capsize, but authorities have started the investigation, an official from the New York Police Department Harbor's unit told the press.

Inspector Anthony Russo said they will investigate the water conditions, whether the boat was overloaded, and whether the weather played a role during the windy day.

Russo continued:

“There's a lot of commercial and recreational traffic during the day here. We also have a lot of people on Jet Skis, kayaks. The Hudson River is always a dangerous place to operate."

A witness to the incident told the press:

“The child’s mom was really upset when they took him into the ambulance and they didn’t let her on the ambulance. She was crying.”

Another witness said:

“She wanted to see her kid . . . and the police were like, ‘You need to let them do their job,’ and she was like, ‘That’s my kid!’”

Julian and Lindelia couldn't survive and lost their lives. A party was held on the boat, celebrating a family get-together in the waterways of Hudson with some relatives coming from Columbia.

The town's mayor, Eric Adams, commented in a news conference:

“Our hearts go out to a group of people who were just using the water in our city. This is a devastating moment for them and those who were part of the families that were there...The water is an enjoyable part of New York, but it can be a dangerous place."

Authorities do not view the incident as any crime, so the criminal procedure is not in play. But if it's found that the boat was overloaded, then there could be repercussions for the boat owner.