Federal Investigation Reveals Tugboat Captain Was Online Shopping During Collision That Capsized Sailboat, Resulting in Tragic Loss of Three Children

A Florida tugboat captain, aged 46, faces serious charges after allegedly causing the deaths of three children by crashing into their sailboat while distracted by his cellphone. The tragic incident unfolded as he operated a construction barge.

Yusiel Lopez Insua has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter following the fatal collision on July 28, 2025. The victims were 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich, 13-year-old Erin Ko Han, and 10-year-old Arielle Buchman.

According to federal prosecutors, Insua was in control of a 25-foot tugboat named the Wood Chuck, which was pushing a 108-foot construction barge filled with debris from a seawall demolition. This barge collided with a stalled sailboat near Hibiscus Island, carrying five children and a 19-year-old camp counselor.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida revealed in a news release that Insua’s visibility was obstructed, and he lacked a proper lookout, which resulted in him not noticing the sailboat before the collision.

The children were part of a sailing camp organized by the Miami Yacht Club. The camp counselor was steering the Hobie Getaway-style catamaran from the yacht club toward Flagler Monument Island when the vessel lost wind and stalled, placing it directly in the path of the advancing barge, as per the complaint.

According to the criminal complaint, the counselor stood up and tried to warn the approaching vessel, but Insua “did not change course or alter the Vessel’s speed” as the sailboat sat motionless in the water.

Prosecutors say the barge then “ran over, capsized, and crushed a stalled sailboat” with the victims aboard.

Three of those aboard — the counselor and two girls — managed to escape after being dragged beneath the vessel. The other three children became trapped in the wreckage as the barge continued moving over the capsized sailboat, pinning it underwater beneath the hull.

“Thereafter, Victims 4, 5, and 6 escaped being pulled under water as the barge continued to travel on top of the capsized sailboat, submerging it and pinning it under the barge’s hull,” the complaint states. “However, Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3 were trapped in the wreckage of the sailing vessel underneath the barge.”

Buchman survived the initial collision and remained in critical condition for two days before she died on July 30, according to a report from Miami NBC affiliate WTVJ. The Miami-Dade medical examiner later ruled that all three girls died from accidental drowning.

The surviving children included a 7-year-old girl, who was reportedly hospitalized and later released, and a 12-year-old girl. The 19-year-old counselor also survived.

Investigators allege Insua had been operating the same tug-and-barge combination in Biscayne Bay for approximately 12 years and had previously experienced “near misses” with sailboats in the same area.

The complaint says Insua knew that the vessel’s forward view was obstructed by both a deckhouse welded to the barge and a construction crane positioned near the front of the deck. Concrete debris from the demolition project also covered the barge.

Although the tugboat’s pilothouse provided long-range visibility, prosecutors say Insua could not see directly in front of the barge.

“Insua knew, or should have known, that the position of the deckhouse and the crane on the barge portion of the Vessel obstructed the waterline view of a pilot operating the Vessel from the tugboat’s pilothouse,” the complaint states.

Despite those limitations, prosecutors say, no one aboard was assigned to act as a lookout.

“When there is no direct line of sight immediately in front of a vessel, and when a vessel is not otherwise equipped to increase visibility, a reasonably prudent vessel operator should assign personnel aboard to act as a lookout,” the document continues.

A construction worker was aboard the barge at the time, but authorities say he had not been instructed to watch for other boats.

The complaint further alleges that Insua’s cellphone was active during the trip across the bay.

“A forensic review of Insua’s cellphone revealed internet activity during transit, including at or near the time of the collision,” prosecutors said.

According to the complaint, Insua’s phone was unlocked and showed activity on “internet marketplaces” at the moment the sailboat was struck.

Federal authorities also allege the tugboat’s radio had been tuned to Channel 9 — typically used to communicate with bridge operators — instead of Channel 16, the emergency frequency used by boaters.

The vessel allegedly was not equipped with cameras, radar, or other equipment that could have helped compensate for the blocked view. Prosecutors further allege that the windows in the pilothouse were closed, making it more difficult for Insua to hear anyone outside trying to alert him.

“Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement. “This information alleges a preventable loss of life on our waterways, including the failure to follow basic maritime safety rules and cellphone use during transit at or near the time of the collision.”

Insua is currently scheduled to make his initial appearance in court on April 3.