A 46-year-old man accused of operating an overcrowded boat that overturned in New York Harbor, killing a woman and her 5-month-old daughter, is facing deportation after being taken into federal immigration custody.
Manuel Ernesto Hernandez-Umana was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following an investigation into the Aug. 8 boat accident. Federal authorities allege that he was operating the vessel without the required credentials and safety approvals when it capsized with 14 people aboard.
Fatal New York Harbor Capsizing Left Mother and Infant Dead
The boat overturned in New York Harbor on Aug. 8, sending everyone aboard into the water. According to federal prosecutors, the vessel was authorized to carry no more than 10 people, meaning four additional passengers were allegedly on board.
A 27-year-old woman and her 5-month-old daughter were pulled from the water by members of the NYPD and the U.S. Coast Guard. Both were taken to a Brooklyn hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Eleven other passengers and Hernandez-Umana survived the incident.
Federal prosecutors later charged Hernandez-Umana with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death.
Prosecutors Allege Boat Was Operating Without Required Licenses
Authorities allege Hernandez-Umana was carrying paying passengers despite not having the required Merchant Mariner Credential or a valid U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection.
The federal complaint also alleges that the boat was over its permitted capacity. Investigators say the infant did not have a personal flotation device and that no flotation devices designed for infants or children were available on the vessel.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and NYPD continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deadly New York Harbor boat crash.
Authorities have described the alleged operation as an unsafe charter activity that placed passengers at serious risk.
Immigration Authorities Move to Deport Hernandez-Umana
The Coast Guard investigation also raised questions about Hernandez-Umana’s immigration status. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he told authorities that he had illegally entered the United States through Texas in 2007 and had previously falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen to a Customs and Border Protection officer.
Following the investigation, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations took Hernandez-Umana into custody.
Federal officials said he will face the criminal case connected to the fatal boat crash before immigration authorities seek his removal from the United States.
The investigation into the deadly New York Harbor capsizing remains ongoing, while Hernandez-Umana faces both federal criminal allegations and potential deportation proceedings.
