Sara Sanchez, baby Antonella Garcia mourned after boat capsizes near Statue of Liberty as man charged
A grieving partner and six-year-old son are trying to navigate ‘unimaginable loss’.
The driver of a boat which capsized and killed a mother and her baby has been charged over their deaths.
Sara Sanchez, 27, and her five-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, were removed from the water near Liberty Island after a 22-foot Yamaha speedboat overturned near the Statue of Liberty in New York around 10.25pm on Saturday, local time.
When police arrived, 12 people were rescued from the water in stable condition.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The rescue involved two Coast Guard boats, four fire department boards, two police boats, and a police helicopter.
Ms Sanchez and her child were located by police divers and taken to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, wiped his eyes with his hand as he arrived for his initial appearance in Manhattan federal court on Monday facing charges over causing their deaths through misconduct or neglect.
He was not required to enter a plea and was released on bail.
Authorities are investigating whether the vessel was an illegal charter, which is a passenger-for-hire vessel operation that lacks US Coast Guard credentials, safety equipment and inspection certificates.
After state charges were lodged against Hernandez over the weekend, prosecutors said Monday that he will be tried in federal court, not state court.
Captain Doreen McCarthy, the Coast Guard Sector New York commander, credited the rescue of survivors to “heroic, swift actions” by those who responded from various agencies, along with a good Samaritan vessel.
Ms Sanchez’s partner and father of Antonella, Andres Garcia, was on the boat but did not survive.
The family were celebrating a friend’s birthday at the time of the tragedy.
A GoFundMe has been set up for him after he “experienced a loss that no husband or father should ever have to endure”.
The description said that the fundraiser was established to help Mr Garcia and his six-year-old son navigate the “unimaginable loss” of Ms Sanchez and Antonella, adding that money raised would help with funeral expenses, time off work, general living expenses, and any unexpected costs which may arise.
It has raised more than $US31,500 ($A44,635) in one day.
“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 description read.
“No amount of money can replace Sara or Antonella. 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.”
Mr Garcia, originally from Colombia, typically works seven days a week across multiple jobs to support his young family, friend and colleague Antonio Russo told People.
“He didn’t realise what was going on,” Mr Russo said of the phone call he received from Mr Garcia after the rescue.
“But he called right away, to say he was not going to be able to come to work and that he was going to a hospital that was in Brooklyn.”
Mr Russo said the colleagues were working to rally behind Mr Garcia and his family because he was an “amazing person” and “hardworking father who always provided for his family in an amazing way”.
