Man Faces Deportation After Fatal Boat Capsizing in New York Harbor

The federal government plans to deport Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana, who is accused of illegally operating a boat that capsized in New York Harbor this month. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of a woman and her infant daughter.

The Department of Homeland Security reported that Hernandez, originally from El Salvador, entered the U.S. illegally in 2007 through Texas. He falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen when questioned by a Customs and Border Protection officer.

Hernandez, 46, residing in Manville, New Jersey, now faces charges of misconduct and neglect as a ship officer. These charges stem from the deaths of 27-year-old Sara Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella Garcia, after the boat capsized near Liberty Island on August 8.

“Once he faces justice for his crimes, we will make sure that he is swiftly removed from our country,”

said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in an accompanying statement.

Attempts to reach Hernandez’s attorney for comment on Wednesday night were unsuccessful. Hernandez was released on $50,000 bail after a hearing on August 10, during which he did not enter a plea, as reported by NBC New York.

According 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 operating. He also lacked certification to operate the boat with paying customers in the harbor and did not provide infant-sized flotation devices on board.

Prosecutors state that Hernandez used a friend’s boat for a tour around the harbor near the Statue of Liberty because his own boat required repairs. Fourteen people, including Hernandez, were aboard the vessel, exceeding its maximum capacity of 10 passengers. The complaint also noted that Hernandez was unaware of the boat’s capacity limit.

The parents of Antonella told Hernandez before boarding that they did not have an infant-sized flotation device. Hernandez informed them that the boat also did not have one, suggesting that one parent wear a flotation device and hold the baby during the tour. Sanchez complied with this instruction.

About 20 minutes into the tour, Hernandez made a U-turn, causing the boat to capsize due to a swell. All passengers were thrown overboard. Hernandez and 11 passengers were rescued. However, Sanchez and Antonella were unresponsive when pulled from the water and were later pronounced dead at a Brooklyn hospital.

“As alleged in the complaint, Manuel Hernandez showed a complete disregard for the safety of his passengers when he piloted an over-capacity boat without a license that capsized in the New York Harbor,”

stated New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Co-workers of Andres Garcia, Sanchez’s partner and Antonella’s father, mentioned his eagerness for the tour with his family. They described him as a hardworking provider for his family in the U.S. and Colombia. Tisch emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy, highlighting the family’s profound loss as a consequence of Hernandez’s negligence.