A third child has died following a collision between a barge and a sailing camp boat near Miami, the US Coast Guard has confirmed. The accident occurred on 28 July in Biscayne Bay, when a barge struck and sank a sailboat carrying a teenage counsellor and five children.
The victims have been identified as Mila Yankelevich, 7, Erin Ko, 13, and Ari Buchman, 10, who died on Sunday after being hospitalised in critical condition. An eight-year-old girl remains in critical condition, while a 19-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl were rescued but not hospitalised.
Captain Frank Florio of the Coast Guard expressed condolences, stating: 'Our hearts continue to mourn with all those affected by Monday's tragic incident, especially with the passing of another one of Miami's children today.' He added that the Coast Guard is committed to a thorough investigation.
The sailboat was part of a camp for children aged 7 to 15, run by the Miami Yacht Club, and the group was in their final week. According to Coast Guard statistics, there were over 550 recreational boating deaths in the US last year, but only 43 involved collisions between vessels.
