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An organization believes it has found the wreckage of a fishing boat that sank over seven years ago — potentially solving a mystery surrounding the deaths of two fishermen.
Green Oceans, a Rhode Island-based environmental organization, announced the discovery of what it believes is the F/V Mistress in the waters off Block Island in September.
The vessel sank Jan. 1, 2019, according to the organization.
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Two fishermen died in the incident, and the U.S. Coast Guard searched for the vessel following the sinking but never located the wreckage.
The F/V Mistress was discovered approximately 92 feet underwater, just 50 feet from the base of a wind turbine at the Block Island Wind Farm, according to Green Oceans.
Green Oceans announced the discovery of what it believes is the F/V Mistress, a fishing boat that disappeared more than seven years ago. (Green Oceans)
The organization reported that “apparent human remains” were also found at the site.
Michael Lombardi, president of Green Oceans, told Digital his organization began searching for the vessel after receiving tips from two contractors who had previously worked near turbine No. 1 at the Block Island Wind Farm.
One contractor reported hearing rumors of underwater wreckage — while another claimed to have personally spotted wreckage while conducting survey work at the site.
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Lombardi said he later reviewed the Coast Guard’s original accident report and plotted GPS coordinates associated with distress calls and other key details, which pointed investigators toward the turbine.
“Once plotted on a map, it became obvious where the search area should be focused, and it coincided perfectly with turbine 1,” Lombardi said.
The F/V Mistress, seen above, sank on Jan. 1, 2019 — prompting a Coast Guard search that failed to locate the vessel’s wreckage. (Green Oceans)
When asked by Digital how confident he was that the wreck was the F/V Mistress, Lombardi replied, “100%.”
He added, “The dive team studied images of the vessel prior to diving the site, and were focused on finding key identifying features. … One striking item was the net drum. It has several unique features.”
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Tim Diaz, who survived the sinking, confirmed that the net drum belonged to the Mistress, according to Lombardi.
Diaz built the equipment himself.
The mystery isn’t over — and Lombardi said there is still some “uncertainty” about what happened in the vessel’s final moments, though he said it was undoubtedly in distress.
The wreckage believed to belong to the F/V Mistress, seen above at right, was discovered just 50 feet from the base of an offshore wind turbine, shown at left. (Green Oceans)
“Based on the orientation of the wreckage on the bottom, there is reason to investigate whether an avoidance maneuver to starboard was made in an attempt to avoid a collision with the turbine,” he said.
“With the hull full of water, this maneuver could have ultimately caused the vessel to roll and then sink.”
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Lombardi said he hopes federal authorities will reopen the investigation to determine whether the two fishermen who died remain within the wreckage or were swept out to sea, and whether such a maneuver contributed to the sinking.
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“The USCG and all agencies involved do tremendous work to protect mariners out on the water,” Lombardi said, adding that he hopes the discovery will help answer lingering questions about the tragedy.
Green Oceans hopes federal authorities will reopen the investigation into the F/V Mistress following the discovery of suspected wreckage near an offshore wind turbine. (Green Oceans)
As Green Oceans focuses on the environmental and maritime safety impacts of offshore wind development, Lombardi said the discovery could have implications for future permitting decisions.
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“Had this accident been fully investigated in 2019, while having the vessel wreckage, the offshore wind permitting landscape would have been quite different with regard to safety considerations along the continental shelf,” he said.
