NEED TO KNOW
- Two juveniles, 7 and 13, died when the sailboat they were on with four other people collided with a barge near Hibiscus Island on July 28
- One of the victims, Mila Yankelevich, has been identified as the granddaughter of well-known Argentine television producers Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena
- The Coast Guard’s investigation remains ongoing
One of the young sailors who died after their sailboat was struck by a barge in Miami Beach earlier this week has been identified as the grandchild of two well-known Argentine television producers.
A total of six people were inside the sailboat when it was struck by a barge near Hibiscus Island around 11 a.m. local time on Monday, July 28, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. All six individuals were able to be recovered from water, according to the City of Miami Fire Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but two girls — 7 and 13 — did not survive.
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s office identified them as Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko, 13, The New York Times reported.
A number of Argentine outlets identified Mila as the daughter of director Tomas Yankelevich and actress Sofia Reca as well as the granddaughter of television producers Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena, according to the Times, NBC affiliate WTVJ and the Associated Press.
Morena celebrated her granddaughter’s birthday in an Instagram post on Feb. 12
“Mila my girl with wings,” she wrote in a Spanish language tribute to her “dear” grandchild, sharing that their time together was full of dancing and music.
The girl’s family was seen arriving in Miami on Wednesday, July 30, according to CBS News, but declined to comment.
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Meanwhile, the Colegio San Pedro Nolasco Vitacura, a school in Santiago, Chile, identified the 13-year-old girl who died as former student Erin Victoria Ko Han, WFOR, WTVJ and WSVN reported.
In a Facebook post, the school wrote that Erin, a student from 2016-2024, moved to the United States with her family last year.
In an email to PEOPLE Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard said the agency is unable to confirm the identities of the two victims, noting that their investigation is still ongoing.
The victims were all affiliated with the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation, the Miami Yacht Club confirmed in an Instagram statement Monday.
“The entire sailing community is devastated by the unthinkable tragedy that occurred yesterday,” they wrote in another statement. “Our hearts are with the families who have been forever changed by these tragic events.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, the sailors, and the dedicated instructors and volunteers who give so much to this program. We will continue to support the Youth Sailing Foundation in every way we can in the days ahead,” the club added.
At a news conference Tuesday, Coast Guard Sector Miami Cmdr. Frank Florio said the agency has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the deadly collision.
“To the families, first responders and all those impacted, know that we grieve with you,” Florio said. “We will not take this lightly and we will not forget. We owe you answers and we are committed to finding them.”
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