The captain of a 35-foot boat that burst into flames off the Bronx shoreline Saturday night and injured 23 passengers was arrested for drunken driving, police said.
Joshua Brito, 33, is facing charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless endangerment following the fiery incident near Hart Island around 9 p.m., a spokesperson for the NYPD said Sunday.
NYPD officers arresting Joshua Brito following a boat explosion. Peter Gerber
A boat exploded near Hart Island in the Bronx Saturday, June 7, 2025. FDNYThe blaze on the Carver 35 yacht sent passengers scrambling into the water to escape the flames, with most making their way to the nearby 131-acre island, law enforcement sources said.
Police said 22 people suffered minor injuries while one other suffered more serious injuries and was listed in stable condition.
The US Coast Guard rescued the stranded passengers and transported them to City Island.
Fourteen passengers were taken to Jacobi Hospital Medical Center and nine to Montefiore Einstein Hospital.
One 46-year-old man remained in the intensive care unit at one hospital, a relative told The Post Sunday.
An unidentified victim is removed by ambulance at the scene of a boat explosion near Hart Island in the Bronx Saturday, June 7, 2025. Peter GerberThe passengers range in age from 17 to 58, sources said.
According to sources, the doomed boat was one of several tied together when a blast set it on fire, forcing the passengers into the waters between the Bronx and Westchester County.
The remnants of the boat after the blaze. TOMAS E. GASTONThe Carver 35 is designed to safely carry eight to 15 passengers, according to online ads for the popular boat model.
Brito is awaiting arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court on Sunday.
Additional reporting by Larry Celona and Joe Marino
