A third child has passed away, almost a week after sustaining critical injuries in an accident where a sailboat from a Miami sailing camp was struck and sunk by a barge, reported the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday.
The Coast Guard confirmed the death of a 10-year-old girl, though they did not provide her identity.
“Our hearts continue to grieve with everyone affected by the tragic incident on Monday, especially with the loss of another one of Miami’s young ones today,” expressed Capt. Frank Florio, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami.
The former mayor of Bal Harbour, Florida, Gabriel Groisman, later identified the 10-year-old as his cousin, Arielle Buchman, in a post on X.
Florio said in a Tuesday evening press conference that the young girls were wearing life vests at the time of the collision.
Six people, including four children, were aboard the sailboat at the time of the crash. Three children have died as of Monday. (WSVN-TV via AP)
Florio mentioned that a standard alcohol level test was conducted on the tugboat captain following the incident. However, he did not reveal the test outcomes or specifics of the captain’s account given to investigators.
The prominent sailing program, established in 1927, promotes its summer camps as located in a “very secure area at the Biscayne Bay,” according to their website. Biscayne Bay is busy with commercial shipping, recreational boating, sailing camps, clubs, fishing, and diving activities.
