Police ID child and woman who died when charterboat capsized in Hudson River

A 7-year-old boy and a 47-year-old woman were killed Tuesday after a charterboat with 14 people on board capsized in the Hudson River in Manhattan, fire and police officials said at a news conference.

The NYPD identified the victims as 7-year-old Julian Vasquez and 47-year-old Lindelia Vasquez, both of Colombia.

Police said that nine people were treated at the scene and three went to hospitals.

Divers from the NYPD went into the heavily-trafficked waterway where “a female was brought to the surface and aboard the harbor boat, but she was unresponsive. Later, a boy was also taken out of the water by divers from the FDNY who was also unresponsive, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said.

“This is a tragic day for New Yorkers,” she said.

It's not immediately known what caused the boat to capsize. 

At 2:46 p.m., a 911 call was received for a report of an overturned vessel by the Battery in lower Manhattan, said Sewell.

The NYPD harbor patrol arrived at Pier 86 at West 46th Street where they saw the capsized boat and two people were drifting near the boat, Sewell said. The incident happened in front of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, NYPD assistant chief James McCarthy said at the news conference.

The boat was chartered by a family with friends and was followed by the owner, in a Jet Ski, McCarthy said. The captain of the boat was licensed, he said.