Author: Newyorki

A survivor of the deadly New York Harbor boat accident near Liberty Island has provided new details about the chaotic rescue, saying darkness and difficult conditions on the water complicated efforts to reach passengers after the vessel capsized. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 8, when a boat carrying 14 people overturned near the Statue of Liberty. Survivor Jorge Ortiz told CBS New York that the darkness made it difficult for rescuers and passengers to see one another as people struggled in the water. The tragedy killed 27-year-old Sara Sanchez of Queens and her five-month-old daughter, Antonella…

A New York City Council employee who spent more than five months in federal immigration detention has been granted asylum, bringing a major turn in a case that drew attention from city officials and immigration advocates. Rafael Rubio, a Venezuela-born data analyst for the City Council, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 12 while attending what he described as a routine asylum interview in Bethpage, Long Island. He was subsequently held at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, for more than five months. Rubio’s case initially appeared to be heading toward deportation to Venezuela. However,…

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has decided not to pursue an affordable housing development at Elizabeth Street Garden in NoLita, marking a significant turn in a years-long battle over the future of the popular Manhattan green space. Instead, the city is moving toward an alternative plan that would shift affordable housing development to a city-owned property at 22 Suffolk Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The alternative site is expected to accommodate more than 180 affordable apartments, potentially allowing the city to preserve the garden while expanding the number of affordable homes originally envisioned. The Elizabeth Street Garden…

A new development in the federal case against Luigi Mangione has fueled speculation that prosecutors and defense attorneys could be discussing a potential plea agreement ahead of his closely watched New York state murder trial. The speculation followed a joint request by federal prosecutors and Mangione’s defense team for a court hearing, an unusual development that has raised questions about whether negotiations are taking place. However, no plea agreement has been formally announced, and the purpose of the requested hearing has not been publicly confirmed. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot outside a Manhattan…

A 34-year-old woman was shot multiple times while sitting inside her vehicle in the Throggs Neck neighborhood of the Bronx, prompting a police search for two masked suspects who fled the scene. The shooting occurred outside a residence while the woman’s son was nearby, turning what appeared to be a targeted attack into a frightening incident for the family and surrounding neighborhood. According to authorities, two masked individuals approached the woman’s vehicle and opened fire, striking her several times before escaping in an SUV. Emergency responders rushed the victim to a hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. Police…

A 17-year-old boy has died after being caught in a powerful rip current while swimming at Rockaway Beach in Queens, turning a summer outing into tragedy. The teenager, identified as Sir Audley Sykes, was pulled from the water near Beach 84th Street after getting into trouble alongside a friend. Lifeguards responded and brought the teenagers back to shore, but Sykes could not be saved. According to his mother, her son showed remarkable concern for his friend during the emergency, reportedly urging lifeguards to save his friend first. The friend survived the incident. The drowning has renewed attention on the dangers…

A five-year-old child is recovering after falling from a fifth-floor window of a residential building in the University Heights section of the Bronx, as New York City authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Emergency personnel responded to the building after receiving reports that a child had fallen from an upper-floor window. The five-year-old was transported to a hospital for treatment following the fall. Authorities are now working to determine exactly how the child was able to reach the window and whether appropriate safety measures were in place at the apartment. Investigators are expected to examine the window and…

New York City is facing a sharp rise in fires, smoke incidents and explosions involving underground utility infrastructure, with city data showing more than 4,000 reports so far this year and putting 2026 on track to become one of the worst years for such incidents in recent memory. The incidents involve manholes and underground utility vaults that contain electrical cables and other critical infrastructure beneath New York’s streets. When equipment fails, these confined spaces can fill with smoke, catch fire or, in more serious cases, produce explosions powerful enough to send heavy manhole covers into the air. The growing number…

Authorities in New York are expanding their investigation into a deadly explosion and fire at a residential building in the Norwood section of the Bronx after a third victim was discovered inside the property, bringing the reported death toll to three. Firefighters and other emergency personnel responded to the building following reports of an explosion and subsequent fire. The incident caused extensive damage and prompted a major emergency response as crews worked to extinguish the flames, search the structure and determine whether additional residents were trapped inside. The New York City Fire Department said preliminary information indicates that some type…

Luigi Mangione is scheduled to return to a New York courtroom on Tuesday for what is expected to be the final major pretrial hearing before jury selection begins in the state case over the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson. The court appearance marks another important stage in one of New York’s most closely watched criminal cases. Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare’s insurance division, outside a Manhattan hotel in December 2024. Prosecutors allege that Thompson was deliberately targeted as he arrived in Midtown Manhattan for an investor conference. The killing triggered a major…