A New York Harbor birthday cruise turned tragic late Saturday when an overcrowded boat capsized off Liberty Island, leaving a mother and her 5-month-old daughter dead. The outing was meant to celebrate a surprise 41st birthday, but the trip ended in chaos as the vessel flipped in the water.
The 14 passengers aboard the 22-foot bowrider had chartered the boat with Zeus Luxury for Paula Rivera’s birthday, her daughter, Sara Raez, told The Post. Family and friends boarded at Randall’s Island around 7 p.m. for a sightseeing ride past the Statue of Liberty. Raez, 20, said the group took photos and made a bathroom stop at a restaurant before heading back toward shore.
Moments later, the boat began taking on water. Raez said passengers were suddenly shouting after the front of the vessel dipped into the water. She described the capsizing as happening in seconds. The boat rolled over near Liberty Island, and the scene quickly turned into a desperate scramble to escape.
According to Raez, everyone ended up on the underside of the overturned boat as the passengers tried to get free. Once people made it out, she said, they were left screaming and looking for those who were still missing. The crash killed 5-month-old Antonella Garcia and her mother, Sara Sanchez, 27, of College Point, Queens.
The New York Harbor boat capsizing stands out because the trip was packed with family, friends and birthday celebration just before disaster struck. What began as a leisure ride around one of the city’s most familiar landmarks became a nightmare in open water, with a small charter boat carrying more people than it should have been carrying. The details offered by passengers show how quickly a calm evening on the harbor can turn deadly.
