Tug Captain Pleads Guilty to Seaman's Manslaugher for Fatal Miami Collision

The captain of the miniature tug that caused a fatal collision in Biscayne Bay last year has pleaded guilty to charges of seaman's manslaughter.

On July 28, 2025, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, was navigating the 25-foot tug Wood Chuck and a 60-foot construction barge across Miami's Biscayne Bay. The tug was pushing ahead, and the view from the pilothouse was blocked by equipment on the deck of the barge, including a large crawler crane and a deckhouse. There was no lookout on duty aboard the barge, and electronic evidence shows that there was internet activity on Insua's cellular device during the transit.

At about 1100 hours, the tug transited past Hibiscus Island and approached a flotilla of small sailboats from a youth sail-training camp. One of the catamaran boats stalled out and lost forward momentum in the barge's path, and Insua did not see it.

The barge ran over the small craft, sending all six occupants into the water. Three young girls were trapped underwater and drowned; the counselor and two students went under the barge but escaped and survived. One of the young survivors sustained "catastrophic" life-altering injuries, according to her parents.

After the casualty, Insua was charged with seaman's manslaughter, and this week the Southern District of Florida announced that he has pleaded guilty.

"Three children lost their lives in a tragedy that never should have happened," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. "He admitted that his criminal failure to follow basic maritime safety rules caused this deadly collision. Our hearts remain with the children’s families and everyone whose lives were forever changed that day."

At sentencing, Insua faces up to 10 years in prison for the charge, subject to sentencing guidelines and the judge's discretion.