Two young siblings, 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 in 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.

Reports indicate that the boat’s operator, Stephen Schneider, 63, and another passenger, Laurie Schneider, 64, found the children unconscious in the water. The Schneiders are believed to be the grandparents of the deceased children, according to sources. Prior to boarding the boat, the group had been at MJ’s Restaurant Bar and Grill.

Emergency services rushed the children to the hospital after the accident, where they were later pronounced dead. The New Jersey State Police responded to the scene, stating that the vessel crash took place in the Berkeley Township Bay Area. The authorities mentioned that the investigation into the boat collision is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.