Wreckage of Fishing Boat Missing for 7 Years Found Off Block Island

An environmental organization has located what it believes to be the wreckage of the F/V Mistress, a fishing boat that disappeared off the coast of Block Island more than seven years ago, potentially solving the mystery surrounding the deaths of two fishermen.

Green Oceans, a Rhode Island-based environmental group, announced in September the discovery of the vessel in waters approximately 92 feet deep. The wreckage was found just 50 feet from the base of a wind turbine at the Block Island Wind Farm. The organization also reported that "apparent human remains" were discovered at the site.

The F/V Mistress sank on January 1, 2019. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a search for the vessel after its disappearance but was unable to locate it. The discovery by Green Oceans may bring closure to the incident that claimed the lives of two fishermen.

Michael Lombardi, president of Green Oceans, stated that his organization began its search after receiving information from two contractors who had previously worked near turbine No. 1 at the wind farm. One contractor mentioned hearing rumors of underwater wreckage, while the other claimed to have personally observed wreckage during survey work in the area.

Lombardi cross-referenced the contractors' information with the Coast Guard's original accident report, plotting GPS coordinates from distress calls and other critical details. He found that the search area pointed directly to the location of the wind turbine.

"Once plotted on a map, it became obvious where the search area should be focused, and it coincided perfectly with turbine 1," Lombardi told Fox News Digital. He expressed "100%" confidence that the discovered wreck is the F/V Mistress. The dive team identified key features of the vessel, including a distinctive net drum, which a survivor, Tim Diaz, confirmed belonged to the Mistress. Diaz had reportedly built the net drum himself.

While the wreckage has been identified, uncertainty remains about the exact circumstances of the boat's final moments. Lombardi suggested that the vessel's orientation on the seabed indicates it may have attempted a last-minute maneuver to avoid a collision with the turbine. "With the hull full of water, this maneuver could have ultimately caused the vessel to roll and then sink," he explained.

Lombardi hopes federal authorities will reopen the investigation to determine the exact fate of the two fishermen and whether the maneuver contributed to the sinking. He also believes the discovery could inform future decisions regarding offshore wind development, particularly concerning safety considerations on the continental shelf.