A 7-year-old girl is lucky to be alive after being involved in a deadly barge crash in Miami. She was injured in the boating accident that killed three other girls. A barge crashed into their sailboat while on a sailing camp.
The 7-year-old became trapped under the sailboat and barely survived. Calena Areyan Gruber managed to swim to safety but suffered significant wounds. She faces a long recovery process. Her family's attorney, Justin Shapiro, told NBC Miami about how the young girl was doing after the barge crash.
"This little 7-year-old girl is devastated by what happened, both physically and emotionally," the attorney said. "She was trapped under this barge, she was traumatized and lacerated with open lacerations throughout her body from head to toe."
Barge Crash
"She was acutely aware that she could have died and she repeats that to her parents," he also said. "Her parents of course are committed to getting her all of the help and care that she needs, but 7-year-old children are not equipped to deal with this kind of trauma, and so it's going to be a lot of work."
She had been on a sailboat with a teen instructor and four other girls. That's when a large barge crashed into the boat. They had been part of a sailing camp for children ages 7 to 15 at the Miami Yacht Club. The girls had been in their last week of the camp when the barge struck them. Sadly, three of the girls died in the resulting crash.
Mila Yankelevich, 7, and Erin Ko Han, 13, both died immediately following the crash. Meanwhile, 10-year-old Ari Buchman passed away from her injuries a few days later. The instructor and a 12-year-old girl survived the wreckage as well. Following the barge crash, first responders rushed her to the hospital in critical condition.
Her parents have since spoken about the incident.
"This is a deeply harrowing reminder of how suddenly and senselessly life can change," Calena's parents said in their statement. "In an instant, what should have been a day of joy and connection on the water turned into a source of unimaginable grief."
The barge crash is currently under investigation.
