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A third child has died, nearly a week after suffering critical injuries when a barge struck and sank a sailboat that was part of a sailing camp in Miami, the U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday.
The Coast Guard confirmed the death of a 10-year-old girl, though they did not provide her identity.
“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.
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.
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“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,” he posted Sunday, referencing Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the anniversaries of the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem.
All six people on the sailboat were pulled from the water after the barge struck the sailboat at 11:30 a.m. on July 28 in Biscayne Bay, and four children were rushed to a hospital.
A 7-year-old girl, identified as Mila Yankelevich, and 13-year-old Erin Ko Han were pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. Mila was the granddaughter of an award-winning Argentinian TV producer, Cris Morena, according to La Nacion. The Argentine Consulate in Miami confirmed her identity with Fox News Digital.
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.
Officials did not immediately reveal a cause of the crash. Salvage operations began Tuesday.
“The Coast Guard remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all facts are uncovered,” Florio said.
SAILBOAT SINKS NEAR MIAMI BEACH AFTER CRASH WITH BARGE, LEAVING 6 HOSPITALIZED
Florio said in a Tuesday evening press conference that the young girls were wearing life vests at the time of the collision.
Florio said the tugboat captain’s alcohol level was tested after the crash, which is standard procedure. He did not disclose the test results or details of the captain’s statement to investigators.
The popular sailing program, started in 1927, boasts of summer camps in a “very secure area at the Biscayne Bay,” their website says. Biscayne Bay is a heavily trafficked waterway, serving commercial shipping, recreational boating, sailing camps and clubs, and fishing and diving.
Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
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