The tugboat captain whose barge struck a sailboat on Biscayne Bay in July 2025 was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison. The crash killed three girls.
Yusiel Lopez Insua pleaded guilty to seaman’s manslaughter, a charge that carries a maximum of 10 years. Prosecutors, the defense and the victims’ families agreed on the sentence, which calls for one year in prison and six months of supervised release. The judge will make the final decision.
Investigators said several errors led to the crash. Insua’s view was blocked by a crane on the barge, and he did not assign a lookout. They also said he was shopping online at the time and did not see the sailboat, which carried five campers and a 19-year-old counselor who were trying to wave him down.
Mila Yankelevich, 7, Arielle Buchman, 10, and Erin Ko, 13, died when the barge hit their boat.
Insua’s attorney, Walter A. Reynoso, said his client accepted responsibility before Judge Becerra. “My client is deeply remorseful for his conduct,” Reynoso said. He said Insua changed his plea to spare the families a lengthy trial.
