A third child — a 10-year-old girl — has died following last week's collision between a sailboat and barge on Biscayne Bay near Hibiscus Island, U.S. Coast Guard officials reported Sunday.
"It is with heavy hearts that Coast Guard investigators announce the passing of the 10-year-old child that was in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital," Coast Guard officials said in a statement.
"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," said Capt. Frank Florio, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami. He said the girl was surrounded by family at the hospital at the moment of her passing.
ALSO READ: Two children killed, two others injured when sailboat and barge collide in Biscayne Bay
The sailboat's occupants were part of a sailing camp for ages 7 to 15 through the Miami Yacht Club and Miami Youth Sailing Foundation. An adult counselor and five children ended up in the water.
Two girls were pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The yacht club and sailing foundation said Sunday they "are deeply heartbroken" after learning of the third girl's death. "This devastating news comes after two young sailors lost their lives in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy," the organizations stated.
An 8-year-old girl was in critical condition as of Tuesday. A 19-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl were rescued but not hospitalized.
Neither the Coast Guard nor the sailing organizations have released the names of the deceased.
But family members and others posting to social media, along with South American media outlets, have identified them as Mila Yankelevich, 7; Erin Victoria Ko Han, 13; and Arielle Mazi Buchman, 10.
"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," Gabriel Grossman, the former Mayor of Bal Harbour, wrote Sunday on X.
Mila is the daughter is Argentine director Tomas Yankelevich and Argentine actress Sofia Reca, and the granddaughter of the Argentine television producers Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena.
In a Facebook post last week, Colegio San Pedro Nolasco de Vitacura, a private school in Santiago, Chile, mourned the loss of Erin, a former student who moved to the United States last year with her family after completing the sixth grade.
Their boat and the barge collided about 11 a.m. July 28, Video showed the barge crashing into the sailboat.
The Coast Guard said Sunday it was continuing the investigation "to ensure all facts are uncovered."
The Coast Guard said its team of investigators will be joined by counterparts in Argentina. Officials also invited the Chilean National Maritime Authority to take part.
Copyright 2025 WLRN Public Media
