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MIAMI (WSVN) - A Miami tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter nearly nine months after his barge crushed a sailboat carrying children from a youth sailing camp in Biscayne Bay, killing three and injuring others, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, was piloting a tugboat pushing a debris-laden barge across Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025, when it struck a small sailboat near Hibiscus Island carrying a counselor and five children from the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the tugboat’s forward view was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and no one aboard was assigned as a lookout.
The 16-page document reads: “[Lopez] Insua knew, or should have known, to maintain awareness of all factors that could have affect the maneuverability of the sailboat and other vessels on the waterway, including all weather conditions, especially wind.”
The sailboat had stalled and lost wind, drifting into the barge’s path, prosecutors said. Because of the obstructed visibility and lack of a lookout, Insua did not see the vessel before the barge struck it.
Prosecutors said Lopez Insua “did not have visibility directly in front of the barge which was blocked by the crane on the barge.”
The counselor and two children managed to escape after being dragged under the barge. Three children were trapped in the wreckage and drowned.
The victims were identified as 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich of Argentina, 10-year-old Arielle Mazi Buchman and 13-year-old Erin Ko, a Chilean national who had recently moved to the United States. The Miami-Dade medical examiner ruled their deaths accidental drownings. All of the children were wearing life jackets at the time of the collision.
A forensic review of Lopez Insua’s cellphone revealed internet activity during transit, including at or near the time of the collision.
“This information alleges a preventable loss of life on our waterways, including the failure to follow basic maritime safety rules and cellphone use during transit at or near the time of the collision,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones in a press release. “We will present the evidence in court with care and professionalism. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Toxicology results for all individuals aboard both vessels returned negative, the Coast Guard previously confirmed.
The parents of one of the surviving victims raised some of these safety concerns months ago.
“It’s insane to think about that. It’s almost like an accident waiting to happen. It’s a miracle it did not happen until now,” said one parent.
Wednesday morning, Lopez Insua’s attorney issued the following statement:
“Our client remains deeply saddened by the tragic boating accident that resulted in the loss of three young lives. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, while recognizing that no words can lessen the pain caused by this terrible tragedy.
As this matter moves toward resolution, our client intends to accept responsibility for his conduct and to resolve the case in a way that avoids causing the families any further unnecessary pain or anguish. Out of respect for the victims’ families and the pending court process, we will not be making any additional comments at this time.”
Walter A. Reynoso, Esq.
Attorney for Yusiel Lopez Insua
If convicted, Lopez Insua faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
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