2 dead, including young boy, after boat capsizes in Hudson River

Two people, including a child, died Tuesday after a private boat capsized in the Hudson River, officials said.

A group of 12 people made up of family and friends were on the boat when it overturned near Pier 84 at around 2:45 p.m., killing a 7-year-old boy and a 50-year-old woman, who became trapped underneath it, officials said. FDNY officials said several others suffered minor injuries and two are currently hospitalized and listed in critical condition.

“This is a tragic day for New Yorkers,” acting FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said at a news conference late Tuesday afternoon.

A NY Waterway ferry crew was first to arrive on the scene. Crew members pulled several people onto their boat before NYPD and FDNY scuba crews arrived to pull out the remaining victims.

“Indeed, it may have well been worse if not for the incredible effort by not only our own extraordinary first responders, but also the swift response from the New York Waterway ferries who rescued nine additional people from the water,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said.

Jason Peters, 43, has been a captain with NY Waterways for 19 years. He was also on hand during the famous 2009 Miracle on the Hudson rescue. Much like that day, he said his instincts took over as his ferry crew encountered the boat upside down in the Hudson. His crew immediately got to work, throwing life vests in the water and pulling people aboard.

"That's when training kicks in. You just, you know, you do what you're trained to do. We do monthly drills for this specific situation,” Peters said. “Just in case somebody falls into the water and we have to get them out, that's exactly what we do. We just saw them, they needed help, we got them on board."

Peters said the passengers and crew members on board the ferry also began helping right away.

“It’s just what any good person would do. If you see a boat capsize, I would hope anybody in any private little pleasure boat, to jet skier, to kayaker, if you see somebody in the water who needs help I would assume you would have the decency to get them out the water,” he said.

Hector Rabanes 54, and Steven Black, 60, were deckhands on the Waterways ferry, who together, pulled eight people on board. They also responded to the infamous Flight 1549 crash in 2009.

“For me it was like, wow is this happening again?” Rabanes said.

Peters said those being rescued from the water were frantic.

“They kept saying, ‘There’s a child underneath the boat, there’s a child underneath the boat,’” he said.

By then, FDNY and NYPD crews had arrived at the scene and retrieved the remaining victims.

The captain of the capsized boat is amongst those in critical condition, officials said.

At a news conference Tuesday NYPD assistant chief James McCarthy said an investigation into the cause was in its early stages. Officials said they were looking into whether the boat was over capacity, and if dangerous weather conditions were a factor.

“It takes some skill to operate in the Hudson River, so it could have been a contributing factor, but as the chief said, we need to do our investigation,” Commanding Officer of the NYPD Harbor Anthony Russo said. “We need to upright that boat. We need to pull video. We need to look at the sea state. But the Hudson River is always a dangerous place to operate.”

Addressing the media on Tuesday, McCarthy said the group on board had chartered the boat from a private owner, who was trailing nearby on a jet ski at the time of the incident.

Peters said the waters were a little choppy on Tuesday afternoon due to high winds.

The incident temporarily halted ferry service in the area, which has since returned to normal service.

At the scene, Mayor Eric Adams offered his condolences to the family of the victims, and reminded New Yorkers to be safe.

“The water's an enjoyable part of New York, but it can be a dangerous place for those who jet ski, for those who are using boats and other activities. We want to remind people to be safe as they do so,” Adams said.

This story has been updated with additional details from the scene.