Miami — The tugboat captain whose vessel struck a sailboat and killed three young girls from a summer sailing camp has pleaded guilty to seaman’s manslaughter.

Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, of Miami, entered the plea on Tuesday in federal court. He admitted responsibility for operating the tugboat while its forward view was obstructed and without assigning a proper lookout, leading to the deadly collision in Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025.

Prosecutors said Lopez Insua was using his cell phone to browse internet marketplaces around the time of the crash. He broke into tears in the courtroom as he accepted responsibility. His attorney stated that he feels “awful about the unimaginable pain and loss suffered by the three families who lost their three very young daughters.”

The victims were identified as 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich, 10-year-old Arielle “Ari” Buchman, and 13-year-old Erin Ko Han. They were among five girls and a counselor aboard a sailboat from a Miami Yacht Club summer camp when the tugboat, pushing a large construction barge, ran over the stalled vessel. The counselor and two other children survived; the three girls drowned after becoming trapped.

The charge of seaman’s manslaughter carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a one-year sentence plus six months of home detention. A judge will make the final decision at sentencing.

Sources:

• Associated Press and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida