Six Days After Barge Collision, a Third Injured Child Passes Away

The U.S. Coast Guard reported Sunday that another victim of last week's barge collision has passed away, bringing the death toll to three. 

At about 1100 hours on Monday morning, Coast Guard Sector Miami received notice from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue that a barge had hit a small training sailboat near Hibiscus Island, a residential community in Biscayne Bay. Five young girls were aboard, along with a 19-year-old instructor. All six people went into the water.

First responders rescued two people uninjured, including one student and the instructor. Two of the young girls were pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and two more were injured, including at least one who was in critical condition. 

One additional victim, a 10-year-old girl, died over the weekend. The child passed while surrounded by her immediate family, the Coast Guard said. 

“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. Frank Florio, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami. “The Coast Guard remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all facts are uncovered."

Florio said that investigators from Argentina - the home nation of one of the victims - will be joining the inquiry. Among other factors, the Coast Guard will be examining the crew's licensure. 

A Miami Herald inquiry determined that the crewmembers aboard the tug and barge at the time of the casualty may not have been legally required to hold a Merchant Mariner Credential. The tug appears to be one of many in South Florida that are built to a design shorter than 26 feet in length. Below this threshold, typical Coast Guard licensing rules for towing vessels don't apply. The Miami Herald identified multiple job ads for mini-tug crewmembers in the South Florida market that openly suggest that no license is required for hiring. While the licensing status of the mini-tug crew involved in the casualty is not known, the statutory exemption raises new questions about what training and qualifications they may have held for the role.