Two kids were killed and two more are in critical condition after a barge appears to have struck their boat and sent them overboard during a sailing camp in Miami on Monday, authorities said. One of the fatal victims was identified as Mila Yankelevich, the 7-year-old granddaughter of Argentine businessmen Gustavo Yankelevich and Cris Morena.
Mila was in her last week of the sailing camp for kids from seven to 15 years old. On Monday morning, the group of six –one adult and five kids– went sailing when they were hit by a barge at about 11 a.m. Due to the magnitude of the collision, the smaller boat sank and the crew members were thrown overboard, according to LA NACION.
Following the incident, a major operation was deployed with the support of the Coast Guard. The girl was then transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital along with three other kids in critical condition. She was pronounced dead.
Born on February 13th, 2018, Mila was the youngest daughter of the Argentinian marriage between television director Tomás Yankelevich and actress Sofía Reca, and had an older brother, Inti, 12 years old. She was also the niece of Romina Yan, who died in 2010 at the age of 36.
When Tomás and Sofía got married, they moved to Miami and later had their two children, so the family kept a low profile.
In social media, Cris Morena frequently expressed her love and affection for her grandchildren. On February 13, the victim had turned seven years old. “Mila, my little girl with wings, my happy and free little fairy, Aquarian, dreamed and so long awaited. Our moments together full of dances, songs, inventing the shapes of clouds on the beach, your incredible questions. You are sunshine, freedom, hugs, beautiful, restless, sweet beloved girl, special, bright, beloved granddaughter!”, wrote the businesswoman on her Instagram account.
Mila and her father flew to Argentina to attend the premiere of Margarita, the spin-off of Floricienta and one of Cris Morena’s recent hits on the small screen. One of Mila’s few public appearances was that same month, during “Cris Morena Day”, a show organized at Gran Rex to gather the actors of the iconic series of the producer and sing the songs on stage.
At the end of the show, the emblematic producer gave her granddaughter the microphone to sing “Hay un Cuento”, from Floricienta.
María Cristina de Giácomi, better known by her stage name Cris Morena, is an Argentine actress, composer, model, presenter, producer, businesswoman and talent scout.
Cris Monera is the creator of juvenile hits such as Verano del 98, Rebelde Way, Alma pirata, Casi ángeles and Aliados and children’s shows such as Chiquititas, Rincón de luz, Floricienta, Margarita, Jake & Blake.
Another 13-year-old girl, whose nationality has not been confirmed, also died in the accident. Meanwhile, two minors aged eight and 11 remain hospitalized in serious condition.
The other two people rescued -an instructor and another child- were “in good condition”, local authorities added.
The six people who were aboard the sailboat were in their final week of a sailing camp organized by the Miami Yacht Club (MYC) of Watson Island. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the state law enforcement agency investigating the accident, said the vessel capsized between Monument and Hibiscus Islands.
Images released by local media show rescuers, some in scuba gear, working around the barge and the wreckage of the sailboat, which was completely submerged in Biscayne Bay, between Miami and Miami Beach.
“The MYC family is devastated by this terrible tragedy”, Emily Copeland, the yacht club’s director, said in a statement posted on social media. “We are currently gathering all available facts. Our priority is the safety and well-being of everyone involved, and we are working closely with the authorities to understand what happened”.
Copeland insisted that “this was a developing situation” and asked for understanding and patience until verified information is available. “We will issue further statements as soon as more details are confirmed,” she said.
Spanish to English version by Bárbara Santana Vázquez