New image shows tugboat captain accused of killing 3 children in Biscayne Bay barge crash

A new photo shows the man that, authorities say, was operating a tugboat involved in a barge crash that killed three young girls and injured others last year.

Prosecutors have accused 46-year-old Yusiel Lopez Insua of killing three young girls and injuring two others during a boat crash near Hibiscus Island on July 28, 2025.

According to authorities, Insua’s 25-foot tugboat barge crushed a small sailboat that was carrying four children and a counselor from the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation.

Three girls were trapped under the wreckage and drowned as a result. They were 7, 10, and 13 years of age.

The counselor and two other children survived the crash.

Investigators say a deckhouse and crane on the vessel blocked Insua’s vision from the tugboat’s forward view. They said that, despite these obstructions, Insua had no one on board serving as a lookout.

Authorities also believe he may have been using his cellphone while steering the boat.

Insua has been charged with manslaughter and faces up to 10 years in prison.