Two children were killed and two others remain in critical condition after a barge struck and sank their sailboat, sending them overboard during a sailing camp in Miami on Monday, authorities said.
A total of six people — one adult and five kids — were inside the sailboat when it was hit by a barge near Hibiscus Island around 11 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
All six people on the sailboat were pulled from the water by responders, and four kids were rushed to a nearby hospital, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard.
The U.S. Coast Guard said that two girls, ages seven and 13, were killed. An eight-year-old and an 11-year-old female remain in critical condition. A 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman were rescued and are in “good condition,” Strasburg said.
The group was in the last week of a sailing camp for children ages seven to 15, according to the Miami Yacht Club.
Some of the children were reportedly trapped beneath the barge. Miami Beach Fire Rescue crews were the first on the scene, later joined by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, City of Miami Fire Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Coast Guard Station Miami Beach.
The sailboat remained submerged beneath the barge in Biscayne Bay — a body of water sandwiched between Miami and Miami Beach, where there are several small islands, including Star Island.
This image, taken from video provided by WSVN-TV, shows Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and others in boats around a barge involved in an accident with a group of kids and an adult on a sailing boat during a sailing camp on July 28 in Miami.
WSVN-TV via AP
“Our hearts are with the families of those lost and all who have been affected by this tragedy,” said Capt. Frank Florio, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami. “Incidents like this leave a lasting impact on our maritime community and reinforce the importance of learning from every loss.”
“The Coast Guard will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the causal factors and identify steps to help prevent similar tragedies in the future. We remain steadfast in our commitment to accountability, improvement, and the shared responsibility of ensuring safety at sea.”
The Miami Yacht Club released a statement confirming the incident involved participants of the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation.
“The entire MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy,” said Emily Copeland, the commodore of the yacht club, in a statement.
“At this time, details are still emerging, and we are actively gathering all available facts. Our priority is the safety and well-being of everyone involved, and we are working closely with the appropriate authorities and organizations to understand the situation fully,” the statement read.
“This is a developing situation, and we ask for understanding and patience as we verify information. Additional statements will be provided as soon as more confirmed details become available,” the Miami Yacht Club added.
Across the U.S. last year, there were more than 550 deaths in recreational boating, but only a small number of those — 43 — were caused by vessels crashing into each other, according to Coast Guard statistics.
The Coast Guard continues to investigate the crash.
— With files from The Associated Press