Two youths at a Miami sailing camp were killed and two others
were hospitalized after a barge struck a sailboat Monday.
The Associated Press, The Miami Herald and other news sites
reported that one adult and five kids were pulled from the water after the sa
ilboat sank in Biscayne Bay and was submerged beneath the barge.
Only two of the six rescued people were listed in good conditio
n. Two of the children were in critical condition at a Miami hospital late Monday, according to news reports. The deceased w
ere two girls, ages 7 and 13, The New York Times reported.
The Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating. The sailing camp is
run by the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation, operating out of the Miami Yacht Club.
The Herald reported that under the Coast Guard’s rules of navigati
on, sailboats generally have the right of way over motorized vessels, but
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exceptions to the rule exist. The barge appeared to be carrying a crane and marine construction pilings.
The incident is one of many in Florida each year. Across the U.S. la
st year, some 550 people died in recreational boating accidents, but only 43
of the deaths were caused by vessels crashing into each other, according to Coast Guard statistics, the AP noted.
Photo: An view
of Biscayne Bay and Hibiscus Island, near where the collision occurred. (Adobe Stock image)