U.S. will seek to deport captain of boat that capsized in New York, killing mom and baby

U.S. newsU.S. will seek to deport captain of boat that capsized in New York, killing mom and babyProsecutors allege Manuel Hernandez was illegally operating the boat at the time of the accident. The Department of Homeland Security said he is in the U.S. illegally. The boat that capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island this month, killing a young woman and her baby.United States Coast Guard Investigative ServiceShareAdd to GoogleAug. 19, 2026, 9:57 PM EDTBy Rudy Chinchilla and Joe KottkeThe federal government will look to deport a man accused of illegally operating a boat that capsized in New York Harbor this month, killing a woman and her infant daughter.Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, a native of El Salvador, illegally entered the U.S. through Texas in 2007 after having falsely told a Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen, the Department of Homeland Security said in a news release Wednesday.Hernandez, 46, of Manville, New Jersey, was charged with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death after the boat capsized near Liberty Island on Aug. 8. Sara Sanchez, 27, and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, were killed.“Once he faces justice for his crimes, we will make sure that he is swiftly removed from our country,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement accompanying the news release.Hernandez’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday night. Hernandez was released on $50,000 bail following a hearing Aug. 10, at which he was not required to enter a plea, NBC New York reported.Add to GoogleBoat captain charged after vessel capsizes near Statue of Liberty, killing woman and her child02:58According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Hernandez had not registered the boat he was captaining, did not have the certification to operate it in the harbor with paying customers and did not have infa...