A tragic accident in New York Harbor claimed the lives of a twenty seven year old woman and a five month old baby girl on Saturday night. The disaster unfolded around ten twenty five p.m. near Liberty Island, just off the coast of the Statue of Liberty, when a vessel suddenly capsized in the dark waters. Emergency responders rushed to the scene following a frantic 911 call that triggered a massive search operation involving both NYPD aviation units and dive teams.

While rescue crews managed to pull twelve other people from the water safely, the recovery efforts ended in heartbreak. Divers eventually located the woman and the infant, who were rushed to a nearby hospital but were later pronounced dead. At this time, authorities have not yet confirmed if the two victims were related.

The U.S. Coast Guard has taken over the investigation into why the boat overturned, with officials currently working to interview the vessel’s captain. While investigators piece together the events leading up to the crash, police say that no arrests have been made. This remains an active investigation as officials seek to determine if mechanical failure or operator error played a role in the tragedy.