On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced that a tugboat captain has been charged in connection with a tragic crash in Miami that resulted in the deaths of three girls attending a sailing camp.
The captain, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, from Miami, faces charges of manslaughter of a mariner following the incident in July, as per a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
According to the office, Insua reportedly lacked a clear line of sight while navigating the tugboat that was pushing a barge full of construction debris across Biscayne Bay.
Additionally, it was stated that no lookout had been designated while maneuvering between Miami and Miami Beach.
The sailing vessel, which carried a counselor and five girls, stalled in the barge’s path. Unfortunately, Insua only became aware of it moments before the collision occurred. The girls ranged in age from 7 to 13 years old, and the counselor was 19, as stated by the U.S. Coast Guard.
While the counselor and two of the girls managed to escape from under the barge, three others were trapped in the wreckage and drowned, the agency reported.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Redding Quiñones, expressed condolences, stating, “Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy.”
He also highlighted the preventable nature of this incident, mentioning failures to adhere to basic maritime safety principles and a potential distraction due to mobile phone usage during the transport right around the time of the collision.
There was an investigation which revealed that Insua’s phone was accessing the internet at the moment of the crash.
If found guilty, Insua could be facing up to 10 years in federal prison.
Inquiries made to both the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office about Insua’s legal representation went unanswered.
Of the children involved, four were hospitalized, with two—aged 7 and 13—pronounced dead shortly thereafter. A 10-year-old boy in critical condition passed away days later.
The sailboat ultimately sank beneath a barge in Biscayne Bay, a region known for its small islands, including the luxurious Star Island.
Interestingly, the children were in their last week of camp, as noted by the Miami Yacht Club.
Coast Guard statistics for 2024 indicated over 550 recreational boating fatalities in the U.S., though only 43 were due to vessel collisions.
