What to Know
- The rescued boaters included two men in their 40s and four young girls
- They were taken to a hospital in good condition
- Authorities believe a water pump on the boat failed, causing the vessel to take on water
Six people were rescued from the Hudson River after their boat capsized near Ellis Island, police say.
The boat was about 40 feet from Ellis Island near Jersey City when it capsized, authorities say.
A dock worker with Statue Cruises dove into the water to save a girl trapped under the 15-foot boat, according to NYPD officials.
The worker, Kevin Suarez, told NBC 4 New York he saw the boat start to sink and drift toward the seawall. Then it suddenly flipped and all six people were in the water.
"The youngest girl was stuck under the sinking boat. The boat was completely on her, he said. "As soon as I pulled her out, she was gasping for air and crying."
He said the family was crying and frantic, yelling at him to "please save her, save her."
Local
They were in the water about 10 to 15 minutes before rescuers from the U.S. Parks police marine unit and the NYPD harbor unit arrived and pulled all seven of them out.
The rescued boaters included two men in their 40s and four young girls -- 11-year-old twins, a 9 year old and a 5 year old, National Park Service spokesman Jerry Willis said. They were taken to Jersey City Medical Center in good condition.
One NYPD officer who went into the water had a minor cut.
Authorities believe a water pump on the boat failed, causing the boat to start taking on water.
