Immigration and Customs Enforcement has taken into custody a Manville, New Jersey, man who authorities say operated an unlicensed paid boat tour that capsized in New York Harbor earlier this month, killing a mother and her infant daughter.
Manuel Hernandez, 46, was piloting the vessel on Aug. 8 with 14 passengers aboard when it overturned, according to officials. The boat was rated to carry no more than 10 people, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York charged Hernandez with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship’s officer resulting in death shortly after the accident, according to officials.
The Department of Homeland Security said Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador who is in the country without legal status. The agency said an investigation by the Coast Guard Investigative Service verified his immigration status, leading to his arrest by federal immigration authorities.
According to DHS, Hernandez crossed into the United States through Texas in 2007 and, at the time, falsely told a U.S. customs officer that he was a citizen in order to gain entry.
The two victims of the capsizing were a 27-year-old woman and her five-month-old daughter, officials said. Their identities and further details about the circumstances of the accident had not been fully disclosed as of this report.
This is a developing story. Additional details, including updates on Hernandez’s federal criminal case and any immigration proceedings, are expected as authorities continue their investigation.