Witnesses described a rapid rescue effort after a boat struck a channel marker and threw two young passengers into the water.
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Firefighters and other emergency crews rushed into Barnegat Bay after a boat struck a channel marker Sunday night, but efforts to save a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy were unsuccessful.
The children were pulled from the water unresponsive after the 30-foot vessel carrying them hit a marker along the Intracoastal Waterway. They were taken to a local hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to New Jersey State Police.
The crash and rescue effort have shaken residents around Berkeley Township and Bayville, where boating is a familiar part of summer life. Community members gathered near the scene or visited afterward to quietly acknowledge the deaths as investigators worked to determine how the collision happened.
Berkeley Township Councilman James Byrnes said he witnessed firefighters enter the water during the emergency response. “The firemen jumped right in,” he said, describing the effort to reach and revive the children.
Byrnes also said a life jacket was visible next to one of the children as rescuers performed CPR. He said the flotation device would have been removed during the attempt to provide emergency medical care. Police had not released a complete account of the children’s use of life jackets before the crash.
Michelle Monticello, who lives in the area, said she came to the site to pay her respects. She described the community as close and said residents were feeling disheartened and saddened by the children’s deaths.
Police said troopers received the report of a serious vessel crash shortly after 9 p.m. July 19. The boat was being operated by Stephen Schneider, 63, of Bayville. Laurie Schneider, 64, also of Bayville, was aboard with him.
The two adults located the children in the water after the impact, police said. News reports identified Stephen and Laurie Schneider as the children’s grandparents, but authorities had not publicly confirmed that relationship. Officials also had not released the children’s names or said whether they were related to each other.
The collision occurred in a part of Barnegat Bay used by recreational boaters and marked navigation routes. Byrnes described the bay as unforgiving, reflecting the danger that can develop quickly on the water even near familiar shore communities.
Authorities had not announced whether environmental conditions, the boat’s operation or another factor contributed to the crash. The two adults were not reported injured, and police had not disclosed further details about damage to the vessel or marker.
No charges had been filed as of Wednesday. The investigation remained active while state police worked to establish the events leading to the collision and the community mourned the two children.
Author note: Last updated July 22, 2026.