A third child in the Biscayne Bay barge-sailboat crash has died, yacht club says
READ MORE
Three girls dead after barge hits sailboat in Biscayne Bay
On July 28, five girls and a camp counselor aboard a 17-foot Hobie Getaway, part of a Miami Yacht Club summer camp program, were hit by a 60-foot barge being pushed by a tugboat. The impact of the crash capsized the boat, killing three children — Mila Yankelevich, Erin Ko and Ari Buchman.
Expand All
A third child has died as a result of Monday’s barge-sailboat collision in Biscayne Bay, the Miami Yacht Club and U.S. Coast Guard announced Sunday.
“The Miami Yacht Club (MYC) and the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) are deeply heartbroken to share that a third young sailor has tragically passed away as a result of the incident that occurred on the water earlier this week,” the Yacht Club email said. “This devastating news comes after two young sailors lost their lives in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
“Now, with the passing of a third sailor, the entire sailing community is shattered by grief.”
READ MORE: ‘Not some boujee yacht club.’ Miami Yacht Club has mission of teaching kids to sail
Herald sources confirm that Lehrman Community Day School student Arielle ‘Ari’ Mazi Buchman, 10, died after spending days in Jackson Memorial Hospital. The school is in North Beach.
Ari died on Wednesday, according to her online obituary page. Several media outlets in Argentina — where her family is from — reported her death Thursday via social media.
Ari’s levaya or funeral is Sunday afternoon, the afternoon of Tisha B’av, which the American Jewish World Service states is “the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.” It’s a day of mourning the destruction of the first two temples in Jerusalem and Jewish deaths from religious or ethnic hate over the last 2,000 years.
Ari is the youngest of Todd Buchman and Rhonda Mitrani’s three children. Among Ari’s other relatives is Bal Harbour former Mayor Gabriel Groisman.
Ari’s death follows the Monday deaths of 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich and 13-year-old Erin Victoria Ko Han shortly after a 60-foot barge being pushed by a tugboat crashed into a 17-foot Hobie Getaway sailboat between Hibiscus and Monument islands in Biscayne Bay around 11:15 a.m.
Of the five girl campers on the sailboat, three have died. An 8-year-old girl has been released from Jackson, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, while a 12-year-old girl and the 19-year-old camp counselor were treated for injuries on the scene. The Coast Guard, which is leading the investigation of the crash, has not publicly identified the two surviving girls nor the camp counselor.
The Coast Guard tested the tugboat captain for impairment and found no impairment.
“Our hearts continue to mourn with all those impacted by Monday’s tragic incident, especially with the passing of another one of Miami’s children today,” said Capt. Frank Florio, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami. “The Coast Guard remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all facts are uncovered.”
READ MORE: Coast Guard loopholes could be linked to barge crash, maritime experts say
The Coast Guard said investigators from Argentina, where Mila and Ari had relatives, will be joining the investigation and that the Chilean National Maritime Authority has been invited to join. Erin and her family had moved from Chile to Miami in December.
“Our hearts are broken for these families,” the Miami Yacht Club said. “There are no words that can ease this pain, but we stand in full solidarity with the families, counselors, and every member of the YSF during this unthinkable nightmare.”
This story was originally published August 3, 2025 at 1:08 PM.
.jpg)
