At least three people are dead, two others injured, and one remains missing after a boat overturned in the waters between Brooklyn and Staten Island on Sunday afternoon, authorities confirmed.
The vessel, carrying six people, capsized around midday in the Ambrose Channel, a heavily trafficked shipping route that runs between the two boroughs, according to the NYPD. Emergency responders, including the U.S. Coast Guard, police divers, and firefighters, rushed to the scene and pulled five individuals from the frigid water. Four of them were found unresponsive, officials said.
Two of the rescued victims were airlifted to Staten Island University Hospital, while three others were transported to Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook in New Jersey, where emergency personnel were standing by. Police later confirmed that three people had succumbed to their injuries. One survivor remains in critical condition, while another is reported to be in stable condition.
As of Sunday evening, search efforts were still underway for the missing individual, believed to have gone overboard when the boat overturned roughly five miles southeast of Breezy Point, Queens. The Coast Guard deployed three rescue boats and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to aid in the operation. NYPD and FDNY personnel, along with New Jersey State Police, were also assisting in the search.
Authorities have yet to release details about the type of boat involved or the circumstances leading up to the incident. The identities of the victims have not been disclosed.
The investigation is ongoing.
