Overview
- Justice Department prosecutors will assess potential charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1115 after the Coast Guard’s referral.
- Three children were killed and others injured on July 28 when a barge struck a Miami Yacht Club youth sailboat near Hibiscus and Monument islands.
- The barge was being pushed by the uninspected towing vessel Wood Chuck, according to Coast Guard officials.
- Investigators reported no evidence of drug or alcohol use by any vessel operators and are examining operational practices in mixed-use waters, including visibility and lookout placement.
- The barge company’s attorney denies negligence and argues the sailboat was at fault, while a victims’ attorney and the Miami Yacht Club back the referral as the DOJ weighs next steps.