Two people, including an infant, died after a boat capsized in New York Harbor near Liberty Island on Saturday night, according to authorities. Twelve other people aboard were rescued, in an incident that prompted a swift emergency response from police and other agencies on the water.

The New York Police Department said officers responded to the capsizing near the iconic Liberty Island landmark, a busy tourist and boating area in the harbour. Details on the identities of those who died, the cause of the capsizing and the circumstances surrounding the infant's death had not been fully confirmed at the time of reporting.