A 60-foot barge plowed into a 17-foot sailboat carrying five children and an instructor in Biscayne Bay on July 28, killing 13-year-old Erin Victoria Ko Han and 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich. Both girls drowned in the collision—Erin, a Chilean teenager of Korean descent, had only recently moved with her family to Miami, while Mila was the granddaughter of Argentine producer Cris Morena.
In a heartfelt interview with Local 10 News, Erin’s father, Pil Jye Ko, fought back tears as he recounted her final “See you later, Daddy and Mommy” before she boarded the boat. He described the agonizing moment he learned she had suffered fatal injuries and called for a full investigation and accountability so no other family endures such a loss.
The surviving children—ages 8 and 11—remain in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Meanwhile, community outpourings on social media and a GoFundMe campaign have honored both Erin and Mila, praising the girls’ bravery and remembering them as “angels” whose lives were stolen too soon.
Erin’s family has asked for privacy as they mourn and expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received. Pil Ko insists on justice: “Two girls are gone, and two other children are in critical condition. This can’t happen,” he said, determined to see answers and safeguards put in place for all who use Florida’s waterways.
