Photo: OLEKSANDR GIMANOV / AFP / Getty Images
Yusiel Lopez Insua, a tugboat captain from Miami, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a tragic collision on Biscayne Bay that resulted in the deaths of three young girls from a sailing camp. Lopez Insua, 47, pleaded guilty to seaman's manslaughter, a charge that could have led to up to 10 years in federal prison. However, prosecutors recommended a sentence of one year and a day in prison, followed by six months of house arrest, as part of a plea agreement, according to the Associated Press.
The incident occurred on July 28, 2025, when Lopez Insua was piloting a 25-foot tugboat pushing a 108-foot-long barge loaded with construction debris. The barge's forward view was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and no crew member was assigned as a lookout. This lack of visibility prevented Lopez Insua from seeing a stalled sailboat carrying a 19-year-old counselor and five girls, aged 7 to 13, from a nearby sailing camp, as reported by CBS12.
The barge ran over the sailboat, submerging it beneath its hull. The counselor and two girls managed to escape, but three girls were trapped and drowned. A forensic review of Lopez Insua's cellphone revealed internet activity at or near the time of the collision, according to the Press Democrat.
U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones stated, "Three children lost their lives in a tragedy that never should have happened." He emphasized that Lopez Insua's failure to follow basic maritime safety rules was a critical factor in the collision. The Miami Yacht Club noted that the children were in their last week of camp when the accident occurred.