Neither the tugboat captain, a camp counselor, nor a person aboard the barge was under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the fatal boat crash that killed one child and injured others off Miami Beach on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
These initial findings were reported Friday by The Miami Herald after a 60-foot barge being pulled by a tugboat slammed into a 17-foot Hobie Gateway carrying at five children with the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation and their camp counselor.
At least two girls died and two more were seriously injured in the crash, which occurred between Hibiscus and Monuments islands.
The adults involved underwent sobriety tests including blood draws. The Coast Guard told reporters that the tugboat operator provided a statement but they did not expand on what was said.
Tragic Losses
Mila Yankelvich, 7, and 13-year-old Erin Ko Han were identified as the two girls who were killed. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office said both children accidentally drowned. The two other children, an 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl, were taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson memorial Hospital. One other girl, 12, and the group’s camp counselor, 19, were treated at the scene.
No names or conditions of the victims have been released as of Friday afternoon.
The children were part of a sailing camp at the Miami Yacht Club on Watson Island Monday morning when the crash caused their vessel to capsize. There were several other sailboats on the water at the time of the crash, according to local media. Witnesses on land as well as the girls and their counselor yelled and waved to signal to the barge to stop.
Leesfield & Partners
The loss of a child is something that no parent should ever have to experience and the hearts of the attorneys and staff at Leesfield & Partners go out to the families affected by this horrific and unthinkable tragedy. As the investigation continues, more details will shed light on what occurred and who is responsible for this crash. As a personal injury law firm with offices in places like Miami, Orlando and Key West, our attorneys know just how quickly a day out on the water can become a family’s worst nightmare.
In 2024 — the year with the latest available data — there were approximately 685 boating incidents in the state, resulting in 81 deaths and nearly 400 injuries. Alcohol and/or drug use was a factor in about 36% of boating fatalities in 2024, the FWC data showed. Approximately 65% of fatal boating incidents involved operators with no formal boater’s education. This shocking number shows the need for reform and awareness surrounding this overlooked safety issue. These preventable and devastating crashes remain a deeply troubling issue for Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” Mr. Leesfield said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
In decades of personal injury practice, Mr. Leesfield and the other attorneys at his firm have consistently spoken out about boating safety and advocated for stronger education and public awareness. Mr. Leesfield and Partner Justin B. Shapiro regularly speak to the media to provide legal commentary on fatal boating incidents across Florida.
As the Coast Guard continues its investigation, Mr. Shapiro said he hopes the information will provide some insight into how this tragedy occurred.
“Florida is the boating capital of the world, but sadly, it is also the boating fatality capital of the world,” Mr. Shapiro said. “There are no formal education or certification requirements for most boaters in Florida, leaving many grossly unqualified to navigate Florida’s unique and congested waterways. Many boaters are unfamiliar with the most basic navigation rules and actions necessary to avoid collisions in vessel traffic.”
Previous Boating Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm previously handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners have represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including drownings, jet ski crashes, parasailing, and other recreational activities.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Leesfield & Partners Trial Attorney, represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
Leesfield & Partners actively pursues the best possible outcome for every client. Mr. Shapiro and Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, are representing a teen who suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of a water tubing accident.
If you or a loved one was involved in a boating incident in Florida, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 305-854-4900 to see if you may be eligible for compensation.