Tug Captain Charged After Fatal Biscayne Bay Collision Kills Three Children

A tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter following a fatal collision in Biscayne Bay that left three children dead, federal prosecutors announced.

According to court filings, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, of Miami, was operating a tugboat pushing a construction debris barge on July 28, 2025, when the vessel struck a stalled sailboat carrying a children’s sailing camp group.

Prosecutors allege the tug and barge were operating with obstructed forward visibility due to onboard structures, including a deckhouse and crane, and that no dedicated lookout had been posted—violations of basic maritime safety requirements.

At the time of the incident, the sailboat—carrying one counselor and five