Toxicology tests for all individuals involved in the deadly sailboat crash that killed two young girls Monday off Miami Beach have come back negative, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed Friday.
Toxicology results released
“I can confirm alcohol and drug testing was completed for both individuals onboard the tug and barge as well as the sailboat operator. All results were negative,” the Coast Guard Public Information Office said in a statement.
“That [is] the latest information I have from our investigators. We understand the public’s desire for answers, and we ask for patience as the formal investigation proceeds.”
The Coast Guard previously said the barge involved in the collision had been supporting construction work in the Miami Beach area before the accident.
Medical examiner confirms cause of death
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department on Thursday released the cause of death for the two girls killed in Monday’s crash. According to the report, 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich and 13-year-old Erin Ko Han died from accidental drowning.
They were among five campers and a camp counselor on a sailboat when it was struck by a barge in Biscayne Bay, between Hibiscus Island and Monument Island.
Authorities said the sailboat was dragged beneath the barge, which carried a crane and what appeared to be pilings for dock construction.
Injuries and camp affiliation
An 8-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl remain hospitalized at Jackson Memorial Hospital. While officials have not released their names, multiple sources have identified one of the girls as Ari Buchman.
A 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman were evaluated after the crash but did not require hospitalization.
All of the children were participating in a summer sailing camp operated by the Miami Yacht Club in partnership with the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation.
