The group of 13 relatives, some visiting from Colombia and Miami, gathered for a New Jersey breakfast before heading for a chartered boat ride on the Hudson River.
Family friend Albeiro Orozco recalled giving 7-year-old Julian Vasquez a lollipop as the crew departed his Elizabeth, N.J., restaurant for their Tuesday adventure. The youngster, along with fellow passenger Lindelia Vasquez, 47, died less than three hours later after their boat capsized in a horrifying mishap that left two others relatives in critical condition.
“We never imagined what ended up happening,” said Orozco, the owner of local eatery Brisas. “This visit to New York ended in tragedy. It’s very sad.”
Lindelia Vasquez, 47, died after the boat she was on capsized in the Hudson River on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
Sources said the private 24-foot boat had a capacity of 12 people — meaning there was one passenger too many on board. The wake from a passing ferry sent passengers scurrying to the opposite side of the craft — making it easier for the boat to flip over and dump the family members into the river, a source told the Daily News.
Orozco said when they headed out, Lindelia Vasquez had been eager to show her visitors the Big Apple with a view from the Hudson.
The capsized boat that left two passengers dead is pulled from the Hudson River by a crane. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)
A friend had volunteered to take the family members for a boat ride on a lake near the Pennsylvania border, according to Orozco. But Lindelia was insistent about the trip on the Hudson, a busy waterway where the current shifts with the tide, making for tricky navigation.
“I don’t know who took them to the river, because it’s really big,” he said. “They didn’t have any (boating) experience. It’s different to go to a small lake than to go to a river like the Hudson.”
A small craft advisory, typically issued by the National Weather Service for winds creating dangerous conditions, was also in effect at the time of the deadly accident, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a Wednesday statement.
“The whole community is sad,” said Orozco, a longtime friend of Vasquez after both immigrated decades ago from Colombia to Elizabeth. “This really hurts me, because it’s a community that’s been here many years and we’re a family.”
NYPD and FDNY Scuba dive teams are pictured near the boat accident on the Hudson River on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News)
The owner of the boat was trailing behind the group on a jet ski when the tragedy occurred about 12:45 p.m.
A pair of NY Waterway ferries — the Garden State and the John Stevens — arrived quickly and crew rescued nine of the passengers from the river, a company spokesperson said.
[ NY Waterway captain, crew that pulled people from deadly boat capsize in Hudson had experience in Miracle on the Hudson: ‘Not my first time’ ]
Orozco said he learned about the deadly incident hours later when he turned on the television.
Passengers on the capsized boat react in horror at the accident that left a young boy and woman dead. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News)
Fire Department divers found both Lindelia and Julian in the water. The two victims were pronounced dead at an area hospital. According to a source, the dead boy’s life vest became snagged in the debris under the boat and hampered him from reaching the surface.
FDNY diver Ryan Warnock recalled locating the boy, still wearing the vest, before a frantic and failed attempt to resuscitate him.
Lindelia Vasquez, 47, joined friends from Miami and Colombia on the doomed boat ride in the Hudson River.
Photos of the accident’s aftermath showed survivors clasping their heads in disbelief and slumped in agony.
“We can’t stress enough how important it is to know your vessel’s limits and how to safely navigate the waters you are operating in,” Coast Guard Capt. Zeita Merchant said Wednesday. “We offer our deepest condolences to those affected by this tragic accident.”
Copyright © 2021, New York Daily News
Copyright © 2021, New York Daily News