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All six people on the sailing boat were pulled from the water by
responders, and four kids were rushed to a nearby hospital where
two were pronounced dead upon arrival, said Petty Officer 3rd
Class Nicholas Strasburg, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast
Guard.
Two of the six who were rescued were in “good condition,”
Strasburg said.
The six — one adult and five kids — were in their last week of
the sailing camp for children aged 7 to 15, according to the
Miami Yacht Club.
“The entire MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy,”
said Emily Copeland, the commodore of the yacht club, in a
statement.
The sailing boat 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, peppered with ritzy mansions.
Across the U.S. last year, there were over 550 deaths in
recreational boating, but only a sliver of those — 43 — were
caused by vessels crashing into each other, according to Coast
Guard statistics.
“The Coast Guard will conduct a thorough investigation,” said
Capt. Frank Florio, who heads the Coast Guard’s Miami sector, in
a statement. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to
accountability, improvement, and the shared responsibility of
ensuring safety at sea."
Local television stations showed first responders, some in scuba
diving gear, in boats around what appears to be a barge. The
Coast Guard is investigating the crash.
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Bedayn reported from Denver.
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