Tugboat Captain Charged After Barge Strikes Children’s Sailboat In Biscayne Bay, Killing 3

A tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter after a barge he was operating struck a sailboat in Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025, killing three children.

Authorities say the accident could have been avoided if basic maritime safety rules had been followed.

According to court records, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, was operating a 25-foot tugboat pushing a 108-foot-long, 149-gross ton construction barge loaded with concrete debris.

The crew was transporting debris from a seawall project on Star Island to an empty lot on Di Lido Island in Miami Beach.

Prosecutors said the forward view from the tug was blocked by the cargo, a deckhouse and a crane, and no crew member was assigned as a lookout.

At the same time, a sailing camp was underway near the Miami Yacht Club. A 17-foot Hobie Getaway sailboat carrying a 19-year-old counselor and five children had just left the dock near the MacArthur Causeway and was heading east toward Hibiscus Island.

The weather was clear and the water was calm. However, the sailboat lost wind and stalled in the path of the oncoming tug and barge.

Prosecutors said Insua did not see the stalled sailboat because of the obstructed view and the absence of a lookout. He also did not slow down, reverse, or change course.

The counselor reportedly stood up and tried to warn the tug, but the barge continued and struck the small vessel, dragging it underneath.

Three children, Mila Yankelevich, 7, Erin Victoria Ko Han, 13, and Arielle “Ari” Mazi Buchman, 10, were trapped under the barge in the wreckage and drowned.

The counselor and two other children managed to escape after being pulled under. One of the survivors, 7-year-old Calena Areyan Gruber, was briefly trapped beneath the barge but swam to safety. Both surviving children were seriously injured.

Investigators also found that the captain’s cellphone was unlocked in the wheelhouse, with internet activity recorded during the voyage, including at or near the time of the collision.

Officials said the tug had several near misses in the days leading up to the accident and was operating in an area known for heavy sailboat traffic.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said the case involves a preventable loss of life and pointed to failures such as not maintaining a proper lookout and possible cellphone use while navigating.

He added that the evidence will be presented in court and that the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Insua has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The charge follows recommendations made earlier by the U.S. Coast Guard investigators. It was not immediately clear if he had been arrested.

His lawyer said Insua plans to take responsibility for his actions and wants to resolve the case without causing further pain to the families.

Families of the three children who died have filed a lawsuit against Waterfront Construction, the Miami company that owns the tug and barge. The company’s owner has not been charged.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Reference: US Dept of Justice