Yusiel Insua has been charged with seaman's manslaughter following the July 28, 2025 incident
Credit: WPLG Local 10/Youtube
NEED TO KNOW
- The tugboat operator involved in the July 28, 2025 Miami boat crash, which killed three girls, allegedly used his phone to browse online marketplaces around the time of the crash
- Prosecutors claim that Yusiel Insua should have used safety measures such as radars or cameras given his obstructed visibility on the vessel
- Insua, 46, has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter and faces up to 10 years in prison
The operator of the tugboat involved in the July 28 Miami boat crash, which killed three girls, has been charged with manslaughter, and has been accused of searching “internet marketplaces” on his phone at the time of the tragedy.
Yusiel Insua, of Miami, may have been distracted by his phone while operating the 108-foot-long and 28-foot-wide barge when it crashed into a sailboat carrying students from a sailing program in Florida, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.
“Insua’s cellular telephone was unlocked during the transit time leading up to the collision and indicated activity on internet marketplaces, including at the time when the collision occurred,” prosecutors alleged in the documents.
Insua has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, the court records stated.
Credit: U.S. Coast Guard Southeast/Facebook
Insua was contracted by a company to transport construction debris to Di Lido Island across Biscayne Bay, where the sailboat was also headed from the Miami Yacht Club. The sailboat stalled “due to lack of wind,” as Insua continued to approach the vessel and crashed into it.
Two victims died at the scene. When contacted by PEOPLE, the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office (MDMEO) previously identified the victims as Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko, 13.
Arielle Bucham, 10, was the third victim, PEOPLE previously reported, citing outlets including CBS News Miami and the Daily Mail. She initially survived the incident, but died on July 30, 2025, according to court records.
Medical professionals determined that all three victims drowned.
According to the court records, Insua had "long-range" visibility from the pilothouse while navigating the vessel, but was “unable to see” what was in front of the ship, which was blocked by a crane on the deckhouse. He allegedly “did not change course” before the crash.
“Insua knew, or should have known, that the position of the deckhouse and the crane on the barge portion of the vessel obstructed the waterline view of a pilot operating the Vessel from the tugboat's pilothouse,” the records stated.
“[He] should have employed alternative means to avoid collision with stationary objects and other vessels. These alternative means could include, but are not limited to, radars or cameras. Insua knew the Vessel was not so equipped," the documents added elsewhere.
Insua had been operating the vessel for approximately 12 years, according to court records.
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U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Reding Quiñones, said in a statement, “Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy. This information alleges a preventable loss of life on our waterways, including the failure to follow basic maritime safety rules and cellphone use during transit at or near the time of the collision.”
PEOPLE has reached out to the MDMEO for comment, but didn't immediately hear back.
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