Mom killed when boat capsized in New York City is pictured

By MELISSA KOENIG, US REPORTER and LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 02:55, 10 August 2026 | Updated: 02:59, 10 August 2026 A mother who was tragically killed alongside her five-month-old daughter when a boat capsized in the New York harbor has been pictured. Sara Sanchez, 27, and her daughter, Antonella Garcia, died after an apparently overloaded motorboat overturned near Liberty Island at around 10.30pm on Saturday. The mother and daughter from College Point, Queens, were two of 14 people on board the 2019 21-foot white Yamaha AR210, including Sanchez's husband and the father to her children, Andres Garcia. Sanchez and her daughter were airlifted to NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn in critical condition and were later pronounced dead, police have said. An employee at the restaurant where Andres works as a waiter, Il Punto Ristorante, also confirmed to the Daily Mail: 'He lost his wife and daughter. It's very sad.' Antonio Russo, a manager at the Italian eatery, also told W42St Andres had been working there for five years, describing him as a 'very hardworking guy. The restaurant has since created an online fundraiser to support Andres, as well as his and Sanchez's six-year-old son, Salvador. 'This past weekend, what was meant to be a joyful family outing ended in an unimaginable tragedy when a boat carrying Andres and his family capsized,' Il Punto Ristorante posted to Facebook as it shared the GoFundMe.  Sara's husband, Andres, survived the terrifying ordeal. An online fundraiser has since been set up to support him and the couple's six-year-old son, Salvador Sara Sanchez, a mother-of-two, was killed when a boat capsized in the New York harbor on Saturday night Manuel Hernandez, 46, faces 13 charges of reckless endangerment after Sanchez and Garcia were killed when the boat capsized in New York Harbor 'Our hearts are with Andres and his family as they navigate this tremendous loss. 'We ask our Il Punto community to please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.'  The online fundraiser was created by the restaurant and Marco LaGuardia Hotel, where Andres works as a breakfast manager.  'While trying to process the unimaginable loss of Sara and baby Antonella, Andres must now find the strength to move forward and be there for their six-year-old son, Salvador, who has also suffered a heartbreaking loss,' it notes. 'Those of us who know and work with Andres want to come together around him and their son during the most difficult time of their lives,' the fundraiser continues, explaining that the goal is 'to help ease some of the financial burden Andres will face in the weeks and months ahead.' Donations will help cover funeral expenses, daily living expenses, Andres' time away from work and 'the many unexpected costs that come with a tragedy of this magnitude,' it says. 'No amount of money can replace Sara or Antonella,' the GoFundMe concludes. 'But together, we can give Andres some breathing room to grieve, take care of their son, Salvador, and begin facing a future that changed in an instant.'  The terrifying ordeal on Saturday night also left a dozen others transported to the hospital with minor injuries after they were rescued and pulled from the water. The boat captain, 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez, has since been arrested in connection with the incident. He is now facing 13 charges of reckless endangerment, according to the New York Police Department. Sara (pictured) and her daughter from College Point, Queens were two of 14 people on board the 2019 21-foot white Yamaha AR210 The boat captain had allegedly been operating the 21-foot motorboat while it was dangerously overloaded with 14 people onboard when it turned over at around 10.30pm  The US Coast Guard is also investigating whether Hernandez may have been operating the motorboat as an illegal charter service, lacking required Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment and a certification of inspection. Illegal charters may not meet the same safety standards as legal charters. 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life last night and our thoughts are with the victims' family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,' Captain Doreen McCarthy, of Coast Guard's New York Sector said in a statement.  'We are committed to holding illegal operators accountable to [the] highest extent of the law to ensure the safety of everyone on our waterways.'  A source told the New York Post that the boat, with a typical capacity of around ten people, should not have had more than five passengers on board. 'Recreational boating in New York Harbor is the Wild West,' the source told the outlet. 'Uncharted debris, rip rap, bridge abutments, anchorage chains, commercial shipping channels, marine plane traffic.'  Harrowing cries from loved ones of the victims could be heard at the hospital, the New York Post reported.  'No. Why? Why? No,' a relative reportedly screamed in horror. People at the hospital were also reportedly still holding their life jackets. An New York City police boat was seen sitting in the New York City harbor Multiple units from the FDNY, Harbor, Scuba and Aviation, responded to the scene in the Hudson River near Buoy 32 between the Statue of Liberty and Bay Ridge Anchorage Multiple units from the FDNY, Harbor, Scuba and Aviation, responded to the scene in the Hudson River near Buoy 32 between the Statue of Liberty and Bay Ridge Anchorage, police told CNN. Divers with the New York Police Department were also seen in the water rescuing passengers. Footage from the scene showed multiple emergency vessels in the water flashing lights.  The Daily Mail has reached out to the NYPD for more information.