Ari Buchman, a 10-year-old girl who was on a summer camp sailboat that crashed with a barge near Miami Beach last Monday, has died, her family, synagogue and officials confirmed Sunday. She’s the third child killed in the incident.
She and several other children were part of a summer sailing camp operated by the Miami Yacht Club. The sailboat she was on and a barge collided in Biscayne Bay on July 28, killing two young girls and critically injuring Buchman and a fourth girl.
Mila Yankelevich, 7, the granddaughter of prominent Argentine media producers Cris Morena and Gustavo Yankelevich, drowned soon after impact, investigators said. Thirteen-year-old Erin Ko Han also died by accidental drowning, authorities said.
The fourth girl, an 8-year-old, was released from a local hospital on Thursday.
U.S. Coast Guard, family and Temple Menorah confirm Buchman’s passing
“On the saddest day of the Jewish calendar,” former Bal Harbour Mayor Gabe Groisman wrote on X, referring to Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of commemoration that marks the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which was observed this year on Sunday, “my family mourns the loss of our 10 year-old cousin Arielle, who passed away as a result of a tragic sailboat accident that occurred early in the week.”
Buchman’s family’s place of worship, Temple Menorah in Miami Beach, made the announcement on the girl’s passing Sunday morning: “With broken hearts, we announce the funeral service of our beloved Arielle Mazi Buchman.” That service was set to take place Sunday afternoon.
The U.S. Coast Guard also confirmed her death, though they did not identify Buchman by name.
“It is with the heavy heart that Coast Guard investigators announce the passing of the 10-year-old child that was in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The child passed while surrounded by her immediate family,” Capt. Frank Florio, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami, said in a statement.
Additionally, the Miami Yacht Club also released a statement on Buchman’s passing.
“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,” said Lisa Mozloom, spokesperson for the MYC.
“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,” she added.
The day of the deadly sailboat crash near Miami Beach
The crash occurred around 11:15 a.m. Monday between Hibiscus Island and Monument Island, authorities said. Six people, five girls and one adult camp counselor, were aboard the sailboat when it was struck. The sailboat was dragged under the barge which had a crane on top and what appeared to be pilings for a dock.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue crews were first on scene, they were later joined by rescue crews from Miami, Miami-Dade, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Coast Guard. Working together they recovered all six people.
A 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman were treated after being taken to the Miami Yacht Club and did not require hospitalization.
Witnesses: “All the kids went flying off”
The children were part of a summer sailing camp operated by the Miami Yacht Club and affiliated with the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation. This was the final week of camp.
CBS News Miami spoke with several of them who witnessed the crash. They said everyone on the sailboat was wearing life jackets.
Enzo Pifer Eddy, 9, described the barge hitting the boat.
“There was a massive boat and it hit one of the small sailboats. All of the kids went flying off. Two were found quickly and three had to go to the hospital,” he said.
Another 8-year-old, who asked not to be identified, saw the crash while sailing nearby on what she called a “Wave Sailboat.”
“The crane just completely destroyed the boat. The boat just went under. I heard one girl yell, ‘Help,’ from under the crane and two girls jumped off the wave and the crane barely missed them,” she said.
“It was super sad and super scary. I’m just glad I wasn’t on the boat, but I felt so sorry for them,” she added.
The Miami Yacht Club is known for its friendly, unpretentious spirit. Membership is open to the public and they put an emphasis on introducing inner-city kids to the bay. In a statement, the club said, “The entire MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy.”
Questions surrounding the crash
One of the questions that needs to be answered is whether the crash could have been avoided.
Jon Nitkin, a harbor pilot for PortMiami, said the accident happened in unrestricted waters, meaning it was wide enough that the barge had multiple avenues to maneuver around the smaller vessel.
“I saw the barge. It was one of those crane barges that do work, they build seawalls and docks. Very underpowered. The move very slowly and its difficult to stop them,” he said.
Nitkin questioned whether the captain of the tugboat, which was pushing the barge, was aware of the smaller vessel.
“I don’t know what kind of visibility he (tugboat captain) has from the wheelhouse. My guess, usually very poor. So they usually have a crew member up on the bow of the barge, not the tug, so he can keep a lookout,” he said.
Coast Guard leads crash investigation
The Coast Guard has set up a 250-yard safety zone around it to keep other vessels away. According to the Coast Guard, vessel owners are responsible for hiring a commercial salvage company to safely remove the vessels form the water and avoid any further problems or issues like an oil spill. The commercial salvage company must submit these plans for the Coast Guard’s approval.
“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. Florio. “The Coast Guard remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all facts are uncovered. We routinely seek the expertise of our federal, state, and local partner law enforcement agencies, and this case is no different. Our investigative team will be joined by investigators from Argentina, the home nation of one of the victims.”
The Coast Guard has also extended an invitation to the Chilean National Maritime Authority (DIRECTEMAR) to also participate in the marine investigation.
Mauricio Maldonado
contributed to this report.
Source link