Two members of the same family visiting from Colombia died Tuesday when their boat capsized on the Hudson River in Midtown Manhattan. Eleven others were injured, four were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Julian Vasquez, 7, and Lindelia Vasquez, 47, died after becoming trapped underneath the boat.
“This is a devastating moment for them and those who are part of the families that were there, and as New Yorkers our heart goes out,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
According to ABC7NY, a large family visiting from Colombia were on a jet boat on the Hudson River when the 27-foot vessel flipped.
A person associated with the boat was trailing the vessel on a jet ski, police said.
For unknown reasons, though authorities suspect a number of factors could have played a part, the boat overturned around 2:45 p.m. near the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
Two New York Waterway ferries were in the area and immediately responded.
They were able to pull nine people from the water.
“We kicked in and did what we had to do, we put on our life jackets, flipped the boat and flipped the adjacent cradle down and started pulling the passengers out,” a New York Waterway Ferry employee said.
Some of the same crew members who helped rescue passengers from U.S. Airways Flight 1549 when it landed in the Hudson River more than a decade ago were also onboard and assisted with the rescue.
FDNY’s land and marine units responded to the Hudson River near West 46th Street and Pier 84. There they found an overturned 27-foot vessel and continued the rescue.
FDNY firefighter Ryan Warnock found the 7-year-old boy trapped under the boat, and while medics attempted life-saving measures, he couldn’t be revived.
Mayor Adams said the tragedy on the Hudson was a reminder for all to be careful when enjoying the water this summer.
“It’s a clear reminder to us as we move through the summer months, water is an enjoyable part of New York but it can be a dangerous place,” he said.
This is so devastating. No one could have predicted this horrible accident. I pray that they receive all the support they need.
