The father of a girl killed in a Miami incident spoke to the press to honor his daughter and demand justice, hoping to ensure no other family has to experience such a terrible tragedy.
A boating accident in Florida on July 28, 2025, has devastated a couple of Hispanic families. The crash left two girls dead, including 13-year-old Erin Victoria Ko Han, a girl from Chile. Her father, Pil Jye Ko, later recalled her final words to him before she boarded the sailboat.
The teenager was at a summer camp at the time of the incident, and a video of her father’s emotional interview in the aftermath resonated deeply on social media, where hundreds of people expressed their grief.
One YouTuber wrote, “I had to stop watching the video, seeing this man cry like that breaks me to pieces 😢. How sad, rest in peace little angel 👼🙏🕊️”.
Pil Jye Ko talking to the press about his daughter’s loss, from a news report dated July 31, 2025 | Source: YouTube/WPLG Local 10
Another noted the magnitude of the loss, “What a tragedy 😢💔❤️💔. I’m so sorry 🙏. May you rest in peace, beautiful angel.” A third person expressed shock, “My God, his only daughter 😣😣😣😣😣.”
An Incomprehensible Crash
A 60-foot barge struck a small, 17-foot sailboat, which was carrying five minors and a 19-year-old instructor, in Biscayne Bay around 11:15 a.m. on Monday. In addition to Erin, the crash also claimed the life of 7-year-old Mila Yankelevich.
Incident on Biscayne Bay, from a news report dated July 31, 2025 | Source: YouTube/WPLG Local 10
According to local media reports, the instructor had no way to avoid the impact. The autopsy confirmed that both girls died from accidental drowning. Two of the survivors, ages 8 and 11, remained in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital as of this writing.
The Other Casualty
Mila was the granddaughter of producer Cris Morena and the daughter of Tomás Yankelevich and Sofía Reca. She had joined this summer camp run by the Miami Youth Sailing Foundation, a group that teaches sailing to children between the ages of 7 and 15.
Days before the accident, her grandmother had shared a video featuring photos of the little girl, set to the song “Todo Todo” from the Argentine show “Chiquititas.”
Erin’s Background
Pil’s daughter was born in Chile into a family of Korean descent and had lived in the Latin American country until December 2024. She attended the San Pedro Nolasco school in Vitacura, which released a statement highlighting her warmth, academic commitment, and involvement in school life.
The Ko family moved to Miami for work and new opportunities at the end of last year. Since then, Erin had been attending Nautilus Middle School, participating in extracurricular activities such as volleyball and swimming. According to her father, she spoke Spanish, English, and Korean, and was also learning Japanese.
Following the tragedy, the Chilean Consulate in Miami also expressed its condolences, “We join in the grief over the tragic loss of two girls in the boating accident that occurred this Monday in Biscayne Bay. […] We share in the deep sorrow of their families, especially their parents.”
The Heartbreaking Testimony of Erin’s Father
Pil was interviewed by Local 10 News, where he spoke about the profound grief his family was enduring after losing their only child. “She was all we had,” he said with tears in his eyes. “She was a perfect daughter.”
He also recalled his daughter’s last words to him and his wife, “I still remember when we dropped her off. She said goodbye to us and said, ‘See you later, Daddy and Mommy’.” Sadly, that reunion would never happen.
Pil Jye Ko talking to the press about his daughter’s loss, from a news report dated July 31, 2025 | Source: YouTube/WPLG Local 10
When he heard about the accident, he wished it were only a nightmare. He kept hoping the hospital would call and say, “Your daughter is alive, she’s okay.” When they arrived at the hospital, however, they found Erin with no vital signs and severely wounded. “She had so many injuries on her head, her arms, her legs—everywhere,” he said.
During the interview, Pil called for justice. “Two girls are gone, and two other children are in critical condition. This can’t happen,” he expressed, insisting that he needs answers so he can properly say goodbye to his daughter.
Pil Jye Ko talking to the press about his daughter’s loss, from a news report dated July 31, 2025 | Source: YouTube/WPLG Local 10
His family also released a public statement to thank everyone for the support they had received. “On July 28, our lives were changed forever by a devastating accident that took Erin from us far too soon, leaving our family heartbroken beyond words,” it read.
Even though the interview was for an English-language news outlet, the father spoke in Spanish. The broadcast was then subtitled for the English-speaking audience. Here’s what he said:
“During this unimaginably difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy as we mourn Erin and honor her beautiful life,” the family also requested. We offer our sincere condolences to the loved ones of the two girls who were lost.
