A boat captain was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated after a vessel explosion near Hart Island in the Bronx forced 23 passengers to jump into the water and swim for their lives on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Joshua Brito, 33, of the Bronx, faces charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless endangerment following the incident that occurred around 8 p.m. near the east end of Hart Island. The New York Post reported that the 35-foot Carver yacht burst into flames, sending passengers scrambling into the water to escape.
Marine 4, a New York City Fire Department vessel conducting routine patrol in the Long Island Sound, spotted the burning boat and immediately responded to the emergency. Three people were pulled directly from the water by marine units, while 19 others managed to swim to nearby Hart Island before being rescued by Coast Guard, police and fire department personnel.
FDNY Assistant Chief Mike Meyers indicated that Marine 4 provided verbal confirmation of the boat fire and multiple people in the water to the Bronx dispatcher. Land units were then dispatched to City Island to receive patients. “Marine 4 grabbed three people out of the water,” Meyers stated, explaining that they transported the victims to nearby docks where Engine 70 and EMS units were waiting to begin CPR.
The Coast Guard identified the vessel as a 44-foot powerboat with an enclosed cabin. The boat was designed to safely carry eight to 15 passengers, according to online specifications for the Carver 35 model, making it significantly overcrowded with 23 people aboard.
Twenty-three people sustained injuries during the incident, with ages ranging from 17 to 58 years old. Police reported that 22 people suffered minor injuries while one person sustained more serious injuries and was listed in stable condition. Fourteen passengers were transported to Jacobi Hospital Medical Center and nine to Montefiore Einstein Hospital for treatment.
One 46-year-old man remained in the intensive care unit at one hospital following the incident. Emergency responders noted that one victim was initially reported in critical condition but later stabilized. All victims were adults and 20 required hospitalization.
Sources indicated that the doomed vessel was among several boats tied together when the explosion occurred, setting it ablaze in the waters between the Bronx and Westchester County. Video footage captured thick black smoke billowing from the burning boat, with flames engulfing the rear section as passengers fled toward the front of the vessel.
The incident prompted a complex rescue operation involving multiple agencies. Meyers explained that the 19 survivors who swam to Hart Island were subsequently picked up by NYPD Coast Guard and FDNY boats and transported to docks at the Yacht Club on City Island. The coordinated effort required careful coordination between marine units, land units, and EMS personnel.
Meyers noted that Marine 4 had observed the boat earlier in the evening and remarked on the large number of people aboard. He emphasized that the vessel would have needed to be a considerable size to accommodate so many passengers, highlighting the overcrowded conditions that may have complicated the emergency response.
Brito was arrested at the scene and awaited arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court on Sunday, June 8. The arrest photos showed the captain in shorts and a black shirt being handcuffed and escorted to a police vehicle following the incident.
Authorities continue investigating the cause of the fire and explosion. The Coast Guard has joined the investigation to determine what led to the vessel catching fire. While sources suggested the fire was caused by an explosion aboard the boat, officials have not yet released an official determination of the cause.
The incident occurred during warm weather conditions that had prompted the FDNY to extend marine patrols until midnight. This extended patrol schedule likely contributed to the rapid response time when Marine 4 spotted the burning vessel and initiated rescue operations.
The rescue operation demonstrated the complexity of marine emergency responses, requiring coordination between multiple agencies and the transportation of victims from water to land-based medical facilities. All passengers ultimately survived the incident, though several required intensive medical treatment for their injuries sustained during the explosion and water evacuation.
