Two young children, a nine-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, tragically lost their lives in a boating accident when the vessel they were on collided with a channel marker off the coast of Berkeley Township, New Jersey. The incident occurred on Saturday night when a 30-foot Tidewater Custom 280 boat struck an Intercoastal Waterway channel marker, causing the children to be thrown into the water.
The boat’s operator, 63-year-old Stephen Schneider, and another passenger, 64-year-old Laurie Schneider, found the children unresponsive in the water. Reports indicate that the Schneiders are likely the grandparents of the deceased children who were initially at MJ’s Restaurant Bar and Grill before boarding the boat.
Emergency services rushed the children to the hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. The New Jersey State Police responded to the scene and confirmed the tragic event, stating that the boat accident is currently under investigation with no further details available at this time.