This past Sunday afternoon at around 2:00, the two fishermen aboard 45-foot commercial trawler PAULINE IV were heading back into Shinnecock Inlet after a day at sea. But, while attempting to enter the inlet, the vessel was tossed in heavy waves into the rocks and capsized. Crewmember Scott Finne went overboard, but was able to hold fast to a net float until he was rescued by Sea Tow captain and volunteer firefighter, Lester Trafford. Trafford was first to reach the scene, braving the rough seas to locate Finne, guided by communication with shore and a police helicopter.
Maritime Death Archives
CARNIVAL SPIRIT: Couple Falls Overboard Off Australian Coast
On May 8, just before 9:00 p.m. local time, two people went overboard of CARNIVAL SPIRIT, which was just completing a ten-day trip with approximately 185 miles to go until reaching port in Sydney. The on-board closed circuit videos show one of the couple going over first, with the second person following moments afterward. So far, authorities have not been able to ascertain the details of the circumstances; there are no known witnesses. No flotation devices were counted missing and foul play is not suspected.
Swedish ARTEMIS AC72 Capsizes During America's Cup Training in San Francisco Bay
May 9 - It is a very sad day in sailboat racing. Earlier this afternoon, Swedish racing catamaran ARTEMIS AC72 capsized during a training run with twelve crew on board, killing one crewmember and injuring one other.
M/V JOLLY NERO Allision Demolishes Genoese Port Tower - Seven Known Dead
On May 7, at around 11:00 p.m. local time in Genoa, Italy, 784-foot ro-ro container carrier JOLLY NERO struck the 180-foot high Port of Genoa control tower, completely demolishing it. The control tower column had been built nestled into a corner of a four-story building at the end of a cement pier; that building also was reduced to absolute rubble. The collapsed tower was sent into the water with thirteen people known to be inside. At this time, seven people are confirmed dead, two are missing, and four are in hospital with serious or critical injuries. A shift change had been in progress, thus the higher than usual number of people in the tower for this time of night. They were Italian Coast Guard officers, port pilots, a tug boat employee, and other maritime workers. The owner of JOLLY NERO, Stefano Messina, rushed to the port, expressing his sorrow and shock. The search for the missing people continues.
F/V LADY CECELIA Sinking Investigation Reconvenes November 26 - 28, 2012
A public hearing held by the Coast Guard Formal Board of Investigation is being held November 26 - 28, starting at 8:00 a.m. each of these days, at Camp Rilea in Warrenton, Oregon.
Captain of F/V DARLIN' MICHELLE Overboard Near Skagway, Alaska
The owner/captain of F/V DARLIN' MICHELLE, Theodore Lynch of Haines, AK, went overboard while shrimping about a mile west of Skagway Harbor, AK, during the early afternoon of October 23. Attempts to pull him back into the boat failed. According to an initial Alaska State Patrol report, Mr. Lynch's son-in-law repeatedly threw a life ring to him in order to pull him in, but Mr. Lynch's life jacket detached and came off of him during the third try at being pulled on board. He was unable to grab on and was lost.
Boat Sinks in American Lake, WA - One Brother Survives, But the Other Does Not
On Tuesday, October 9, two brothers went out on American Lake near Lakewood, WA, to test drive what witnesses say was an older Bayliner with an inboard/outboard motor. One of the brothers was thinking of buying this boat.
Edmonds Man Dies After Boats Collide Off Shilshole (Seattle)
Shortly after 4:00 p.m. on October 5, two men out for a day of fishing were thrown from their 16-foot aluminum boat into Puget Sound off Shilshole Marina when a 44-foot cabin cruiser collided with them. One of the men thrown was 76-year-old Donald Hatch of Edmonds, WA. He was unconscious when pulled from the water and did not respond when medics performed CPR. His friend, John Johnson, was injured but alert, and received medical care at Harborview.
F/V ADVANTAGE Sinks Near Kodiak Island; One Missing, One Dies, Two Survive
Shortly after midnight on August 31, the Coast Guard received an EPIRB signal from F/V ADVANTAGE, about fourteen miles southeast of Kodiak Island. When the ADVANTAGE crew did not answer radio calls, the Coast Guard deployed a helicopter out of Air Station Kodiak. Arriving on the scene at around 1:00 a.m., they found a debris field and three hypothermic men in their life raft, whom they airlifted to local emergency medical care in Kodiak. One of the men in the life raft, Skipper Leif Bolan, died later. The other two men are recovering.
Boats Collide on Mississippi River near Burlington, Iowa; Four Dead
Two jon boats, which are aluminum flat-bottomed boats, collided on the Mississippi River near Burlington, Iowa, at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both boats, at 18 and 20 feet long, were being used to transport revelers from where they were partying on a river sandbar back to shore. One boat was empty of passengers with one driver, and the other boat held a total of eleven people.
