Gloucester

Sinking of fishing boat a profound loss for the community in Gloucester

The Miss Sandy, a well-known fishing boat in Gloucester, sunk despite the efforts of another vessel and the U.S. Coast Guard who responded to a mayday call, though the crew was rescued before she went under

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The Coast Guard and the Gloucester harbormaster rescued two people from a 56-foot fishing boat that sank.

The fishing community of Gloucester, Massachusetts, is mourning the loss of the Miss Sandy, a 56-foot fishing boat that sank off the coast of Massachusetts.

The incident began on Jan. 17 with a broken-up mayday call that alerted authorities to the vessel's distress. On board was the ship's captain and a NOAA observer. 

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"I heard a mayday in the background, very faint, so I knew it was serious," Gloucester Harbormaster Chris Lucido said. "I listened closely to the radio and heard Al Cottone take over the call."

Captain Al Cottone, who was fishing on the Sabrina Maria less than two miles away, rushed to help the Miss Sandy crew relay their position to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

"There was about a six-to-seven-foot sea at the height of it, which is four to five more than we can handle," Cottone said, adding that he and other fishermen had already decided to turn in for the day due to the conditions.

"Something catastrophic happened below the waterline of the Miss Sandy," Cottone said. "His engine actually shut off because of water intake. When it got to that point, I realized he was in serious trouble."

The Coast Guard and local harbormaster's office responded to the scene about 30 minutes later, launching several rescue vessels, including the Coast Guard Cutter William Chadwick.

"Immediately, the Coast Guard launched a boat, and our harbormaster's office dispatched our 39-foot rescue vessel," Lucido said. 

Rescue crews evacuated the captain and a NOAA observer from the sinking vessel and attempted to tow it to safety.

"We worked for the better part of an hour and a half trying to dewater the boat," US Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Benson said. "Once we determined the scene was unsafe, we had to exit the vessel and, in the end, it sunk."

The flooding was so severe that despite their best efforts, the Coast Guard was forced to abandon the ship. 

"The Miss Sandy rolled completely over and sank stern-first within four minutes," Lucido said. "Everybody did the right thing. The Coast Guard worked tirelessly, the Sabrina Maria relayed the (mayday) call, everybody did the right thing."

The loss of the Miss Sandy is a significant blow to the local fishing industry. 

"It means less local seafood if the boats go away and the fish go away," Lucido said. "There's a lot of jobs in Gloucester -- people who unload boats, process the fish -- it's a big part of our economy."

Beyond the economic impact, the loss of the Miss Sandy represents a profound loss for the Gloucester community. 

"He had that boat for 50 years. It's not just a loss of fresh fish; it's a loss of one of the faces of the community," Captain Cottone said. 

The owner of the Miss Sandy could not be reached for comment. 

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