A barge struck a sailboat off Miami Beach on Monday, injuring at least four children who were thrown overboard and had to be rescued from the water, the authorities said.
The sailboat was carrying an adult woman and five children near Hibiscus Island in Biscayne Bay when it was hit, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Divers and rescue boats from several agencies responded and pulled all six people from the water, the commission said.
Three of the children were taken to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in critical condition, and one was taken there in stable condition, according to Lt. Pete Sanchez, a spokesman for the Miami Department of Fire-Rescue.
A fifth child was evaluated on the scene but did not go to the hospital, Lieutenant Sanchez said. The children ranged in age from 8 to 12, he said. The adult woman — a camp counselor — was in stable condition and did not go to the hospital, he said.
Lieutenant Sanchez said the authorities received several calls of a boat accident near Hibiscus Island in Biscayne Bay at 11:16 a.m. Some of the calls reported a submerged vessel with missing occupants, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
When rescue personnel arrived, they called for additional assistance, Lieutenant Sanchez said. Local television footage showed several rescue boats surrounding a barge.
“Thanks the swift rescue response from all agencies, all persons were located and removed from the water,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a statement.
Johnny Diaz is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news from Miami.
Aimee Ortiz covers breaking news and other topics.
Michael Levenson covers breaking news for The Times from New York.
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