A 10-year-old girl has been confirmed as the third fatality in the recent Miami boat crash that took place on Monday, July 28.
Arielle Mazi Buchman was among several young passengers aboard a vessel participating in a youth sailing program when it was struck by another boat in Biscayne Bay, according to CBS News Miami, the Daily Mail, and the New York Post.
On Sunday, August 3, Arielle’s family’s place of worship shared the heartbreaking news: “With broken hearts, we announce the funeral service of our beloved Arielle Mazi Buchman.”
The Miami Yacht Club, which hosts the youth sailing program involved in the accident, also confirmed the death in a statement posted on Instagram.
“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 statement read. The club did not identify the victim by name or age.
“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,” the organization added.
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the two other victims as 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich and 13-year-old Erin Ko. Both deaths were ruled accidental drownings.
The medical examiner’s office has not yet publicly confirmed the cause of death for the third victim as of August 3.
Mila Yankelevich, who was identified in multiple Argentine media outlets, was the daughter of director Tomas Yankelevich and actress Sofia Reca, and the granddaughter of prominent Argentine television producers Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena, according to reports from The New York Times, NBC affiliate WTVJ, and the Associated Press.
CBS News reported that Mila’s family arrived in Miami on Wednesday, July 30, but declined to speak with the press.
Erin Victoria Ko Han, age 13, was identified by the Colegio San Pedro Nolasco Vitacura in Santiago, Chile, as a former student. She had attended the school from 2016 to 2024 before moving to the United States with her family last year, according to WFOR, WTVJ, and WSVN.
According to a U.S. Coast Guard news release, six individuals were aboard the sailboat when it was struck by a barge near Hibiscus Island around 11 a.m. local time.
During a press conference held on July 29, Coast Guard Sector Miami Cmdr. Frank Florio said the agency had launched an investigation into the incident.
“To the families, first responders and all those impacted, know that we grieve with you,” Florio said. “We will not take this lightly and we will not forget. We owe you answers and we are committed to finding them.”
