A federal judge on Tuesday, Oct. 13, sentenced Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, a Miami tugboat captain, to 18 months in prison for a fatal Biscayne Bay boating crash that killed three girls attending a sailing camp last summer. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra handed down the sentence in Miami federal court, finding that Lopez Insua’s conduct warranted more time than the 12 months recommended under his plea agreement.
TL;DR: Tugboat captain Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, was sentenced Oct. 13 to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in July to seaman’s manslaughter. On July 28, 2025, the tugboat he was piloting – pushing a barge loaded with construction debris across Biscayne Bay – ran over a stalled 17-foot sailboat carrying a 19-year-old camp counselor and five girls ages 7 to 13 from a Miami Youth Sailing Foundation program. Prosecutors said Lopez Insua’s view was obstructed and he failed to assign a lookout. Three girls – Mila Yankelevich, 7; Erin Ko, 13; and Arielle Buchman, 10 – were killed. The counselor and two girls survived. Lopez Insua will report to prison Dec. 10 after a two-month delay granted so he can help a family member attend medical appointments.
A harsher sentence than the plea deal called for
Lopez Insua pleaded guilty in July to one count of seaman’s manslaughter, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. He initially faced up to 10 years in prison. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended a 12-month sentence – but Judge Becerra said his actions on the day of the crash warranted a longer term and imposed 18 months instead, USA Today reported, citing CBS News Miami.
The sentence reflects the gravity of what prosecutors called a failure to follow basic maritime safety rules. “He admitted that his criminal failure to follow basic maritime safety rules caused this deadly collision,” U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said in a statement when Lopez Insua pleaded guilty.
What happened on July 28, 2025
The crash happened the morning of July 28, 2025, near Hibiscus Island in Biscayne Bay. Emergency crews received reports around 11:15 a.m. of a submerged vessel with missing occupants, triggering a search involving divers from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
According to prosecutors, Lopez Insua was piloting a tugboat pushing a barge loaded with construction debris when the vessel struck the 17-foot sailboat. The sailboat, which had lost wind and stalled in the tugboat’s path, was carrying a 19-year-old camp counselor and five girls participating in a summer sailing program run by the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation at the Miami Yacht Club.
The U.S. Coast Guard later said all six people aboard the sailboat had been thrown into the water when the barge ran over it. The counselor and two of the girls escaped after being dragged beneath the barge. The other three girls were trapped beneath the wreckage and drowned.
Obstructed view, no lookout – and a phone in use
Prosecutors said the evidence showed Lopez Insua’s forward visibility was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and that no one aboard had been assigned to act as a lookout. A forensic review of Lopez Insua’s cellphone also turned up “internet activity” at or near the time of the collision.
“Because Insua’s forward visibility was obstructed and no lookout had been assigned, he failed to see the stalled sailboat before the barge ran over it, submerging the sailboat beneath the barge’s hull,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a July news release announcing the guilty plea.
The victims: three girls who never came home
Seven-year-old Mila Yankelevich and 13-year-old Erin Ko died the day of the crash. Ten-year-old Arielle Buchman survived the initial collision but died several days later, authorities said.
“Three children lost their lives in a tragedy that never should have happened,” U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said. “Our hearts remain with the children’s families and everyone whose lives were forever changed that day.”
“Profoundly sorry”: the defense speaks
After the hearing, defense attorney Walter A. Reynoso told reporters his client accepted the outcome. “Yusiel is profoundly sorry. He accepted responsibility for his conduct that caused this heart-wrenching, life-altering tragedy,” Reynoso said. “Yusiel respects and accepts the 18-month sentence imposed today by the Honorable Judge Becerra.”
Becerra granted a defense request allowing Lopez Insua to remain out of prison for two months so he can help a family member attend medical appointments, according to CBS News Miami and the Miami Herald. He must wear a GPS monitoring device until he reports to prison on Dec. 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Yusiel Lopez Insua?
Lopez Insua, 46, is a Miami tugboat captain. He pleaded guilty in July 2026 to seaman’s manslaughter for a July 28, 2025, collision in Biscayne Bay that killed three girls from a youth sailing camp.
How long is his sentence?
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra sentenced him Oct. 13, 2026, to 18 months in federal prison – six months more than the 12 months recommended under his plea agreement.
What is seaman’s manslaughter?
Seaman’s manslaughter is a federal charge that applies when a death on the water results from a captain, engineer or pilot’s misconduct, negligence or failure to follow basic maritime safety rules. Lopez Insua admitted his failures caused the deadly collision.
Who were the victims?
Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko, 13, died the day of the crash; Arielle Buchman, 10, died several days later. They were attending a summer program run by the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation at the Miami Yacht Club. A 19-year-old camp counselor and two other girls survived.
What caused the crash?
Prosecutors said Lopez Insua was piloting a tugboat pushing a barge loaded with construction debris with his forward view obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and he had not assigned a lookout. He failed to see the stalled sailboat before the barge ran over it. A forensic review of his cellphone also showed internet activity at or near the time of the collision.
When does he report to prison?
The judge allowed him to remain free for two months to help a family member attend medical appointments. He must wear a GPS monitoring device until he reports to prison on Dec. 10.
What did the defense say?
Defense attorney Walter A. Reynoso said Lopez Insua “is profoundly sorry,” accepted responsibility for his conduct, and respects and accepts the 18-month sentence.
