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Sergio R. Bustos
Two young girls — ages 7 and 13 — were killed Monday morning when a barge collided with a sailboat carrying a group of children during a sailing summer camp on Biscayne Bay near Hibiscus Island, the U.S. Coast Guard reported Monday night.
Two other girls — ages 8 and 11 — remain hospitalized in critical condition, said Frank Florio III, commanding officer Coast Guard Sector Miami, during a press conference with reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
The Coast Guard is jointly investigating the crash with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Officials said a 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old female were rescued.
The names of the victims are not being disclosed at this time, said Florio.
“ I’ll continue to work with our partners to release [victim’s] names when appropriate,” he said. “We want to make sure all the friends and family are involved and have the opportunity to grieve appropriately.”
Mila Yankelevich was identified as one of the children killed, according to La Nacion, one of Argentina’s biggest and most prominent newspapers. It reported the little girl is the granddaughter of two well-known Argentine television producers, Cris Morena and Gustavo Yankelevich.
Florio said investigators have interviewed the captain of the barge and are reviewing video footage of the crash.
Late Monday, NBC6 South Florida broadcast an exclusive video that showed the barge ramming into the sailboat.
All the girls aboard the sailboat were reportedly wearing life jackets, Florio said.
“ I want to express on behalf of the entire Coast Guard family, our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones and to all who have been impacted by this heartbreaking tragedy,” said Florida. “Events like this leave a lasting mark on our community.”
“They remind us of the fragility of life and the shared responsibility we bear in protecting those who take the water,” he added.
The collision between the two vessels occurred about 11 a.m., according to the Coast Guard. The crash sent six people on the sailboat into the water.
Coast Guard officials said the six were rescued and sent to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where two of the victims were declared dead upon arrival.
A Miami Yacht Club official reported it’s cooperating with state and federal officials investigating the crash of the two vessels. She said the six people aboard were in their last week of the sailing camp for kids from 7 to 15 years old.
“The entire MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy,” said Emily Copeland, the commodore of the yacht club, in a statement.
“We are working with FWC and the Coast Guard as they lead their investigation into the barge that struck our summer camp sailboat,” Copeland told WLRN in an email.
“We are not releasing any details on the sailors or counselors at this time, out of respect for the privacy of the families,” she added.
This story was originally produced by WLRN, South Florida’s only public radio station at 91.3 FM, as part of a content sharing partnership with Miami’s Community News. Read more at WLRN.org.
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