MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Video shared with Local 10 News shows a barge and a sailboat on a collision course off Hibiscus Island in Miami Beach Monday morning. The subsequent crash would sink the sailboat and claim the lives of two children, leaving two more critical.
The viewer who took the video, which didn’t capture the wreck itself, told Local 10 News that she was recording the scenery in Biscayne Bay and only realized afterward that she had captured the two vessels.
The sailboat was part of the Miami Yacht Club’s youth sailing camp. A counselor and five children were aboard and were thrown off after the barge hit their boat at around 11 a.m., authorities say.
Two girls, aged 7 and 13, were killed. An 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl were listed in critical condition as of Monday evening.
The counselor, a 19-year-old woman, and a 12-year-old girl were safely pulled to shore.
Authorities have not publicly identified the victims as of Tuesday afternoon.
A camp participant, 9-year-old Enzo Piffaretti, said he saw the scene from the shore.
“It was a big garbage boat (barge), and the Getaway (sailboat) was in front of it and the boat wasn’t paying attention, crashed right into them and they all went flying off the boat,” Enzo said. “Two were found really quickly and three of them, they had to go to the hospital.”
The sailboat remained submerged underneath the barge as of Tuesday morning.
Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard, which is investigating the crash, said they were awaiting salvage plans from the respective owners.
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