Nearly a week after a barge collided with a sailboat in Biscayne Bay near Miami Beach in Florida, a third child has died. The accident occurred just after 11 a.m. on July 28, 2025. The sailboat, occupied by one adult counselor and five children, was part of a summer sailing camp through the Miami Yacht Club and affiliated with the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation. The accident rocked the community and has left the victims’ families heartbroken.
CBS News identified the three victims as Arielle Buchman, 10, Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko Han, 13. Both Mila and Erin died shortly after impact. Ari’s family just recently confirmed her death.
“On the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, my family mourns the loss of our 10-year-old cousin Arielle, who passed away as a result of a tragic sailboat accident that occurred early in the week. Baruch Dayan HaEmet,” Gabreil Groiseman shared on X of Ari.
The accident occurred when the barge, which had a crane on top, hit the sailboat and dragged it underneath the water. Witnesses shared their shock with CBS News.
“There was a massive boat, and it hit one of the small sailboats. All of the kids went flying off. Two were found quickly, and three had to go to the hospital,” 9-year-old Enzo Pifer Eddy told CBS News.
An unidentified 8-year-old girl shared a similar story. “The crane just completely destroyed the boat. The boat just went under. I heard one girl yell, ‘Help,’ from under the crane, and two girls jumped off the wave, and the crane barely missed them,” she said. “It was super sad and super scary. I’m just glad I wasn’t on the boat, but I felt so sorry for them.”
The Miami Yacht Club has since shared a statement regarding the accident and deaths on Facebook
“Our hearts are broken for these families. There are no words that can ease this pain, but we stand in full solidarity with the families, counselors, and every member of the YSF during this unthinkable nightmare. The MYC and Miami YSF are working closely with the families to provide every possible resource, comfort, and support during this time, including mental health and grief counseling services,” the statement reads in part.
“This is a tragedy that has touched not only the sailing community but everyone who cherishes our Bay and the young lives who brought such joy to it,” the Miami Yacht club added.
Erin’s father, Pil Jye Ko, told Local 10 the accident occurred on his daughter’s first day of camp.
“We hoped that this was all just a dream, or that a miracle would have happened,” Ko said, translated from Spanish. “That the hospital would call and say, ‘Your daughter is alive. She’s alright.’ But no, that didn’t happen. No, no, no. It’s not what happened.”
“I can still see it in my mind. She had many wounds to her head, her arms, her legs, everywhere,” the grieving father said. “I couldn’t believe it. No. No. No.”
Mila’s family has not yet spoken about her death, but she is reportedly the granddaughter of an award-winning Argentinian TV producer Cris Morena, per the New York Post.
The crash is still under investigation, according to CBS News.
“Our hearts continue to mourn with all those impacted by Monday’s tragic incident, especially with the passing of another one of Miami’s children today,” commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami Captain Frank J. Florio said.
“The Coast Guard remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all facts are uncovered. We routinely seek the expertise of our federal, state, and local partner law enforcement agencies, and this case is no different. Our investigative team will be joined by investigators from Argentina, the home nation of one of the victims.”
