Overview
- Arielle Mazi Buchman, 10, succumbed on August 3 to critical injuries from the July 28 strike of a construction barge against her Miami Yacht Club summer sailboat.
- Two other campers, aged 7 and 13, drowned shortly after the crash near Hibiscus and Monument Islands; a fourth child has been released from hospital and the counselor was unharmed.
- The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the probe into the rare vessel-to-vessel accident with support from invited Argentine and Chilean maritime authorities.
- Commercial salvage firms must submit detailed removal proposals for Coast Guard approval before lifting the submerged sailboat to prevent environmental or navigational hazards.
- The collision’s severity has prompted calls for stricter navigation protocols and enhanced safety measures in youth recreational boating programs.