Wednesday, December 6, 2017

THE SINKING OF MISTY BLUE: Coast Guard suspended its search for two missing fishermen on-board the commercial fishing vessel Misty Blue near Nantucket, Mass.


The Coast Guard confirmed Tuesday morning that one of the missing sailors is Michael Roberts, 44, of Fairhaven.

The Coast Guard confirmed Tuesday morning that one of the missing sailors is Michael Roberts, 44, of Fairhaven.








BOSTON, Mass. —



The Coast Guard suspended its search Tuesday at 8 p.m. for two missing fishermen near Nantucket, pending the development of new information.

The fishermen originally went missing Monday evening after their boat, Misty Blue, sunk approximately 10 miles southeast of Nantucket. Two other crewmembers were rescued by a nearby good Samaritan.

The Coast Guard, along with state and local agencies and good Samaritans searched for 42 asset hours saturating a 1,605 square nautical mile area.

The search included the following assets:

-An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod
-An HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Cape Cod
-A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Brant Point
-Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead, an 87-foot patrol boat
-Coast Guard Cutter Tybee, a 110-foot patrol boat
-Coast Guard Cutter Albacore, an 87-foot patrol boat
-Barnstable County Sheriff
-Dennis Fire Department
-Massachusetts State Police Dive Team
-Fishing vessel Enterprise
-Fishing vessel Mariette

The cause of the sinking is under investigation.

-USCG-


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FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (WPRI) — The U.S. Coast Guard Northeast is continuing its search for two missing crewmen after a fishing vessel sank 10 miles off the coast of Nantucket Monday evening.

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard said they received the distress call from the “Misty Blue,” a 69-foot vessel out of Fairhaven just after 6 p.m. Monday.


According to the Coast Guard, the vessel was based out of Fairhaven, where it docked at Linberg Marina on Middle Street.

The crew was clamming, and the captain and another crew member were able to get into a lifeboat after the incident occurred. They were later picked up by a good Samaritan and brought to shore.

The other two crew members are still unaccounted for.


The Coast Guard confirmed Tuesday morning that one of the missing sailors is Michael Roberts, 44, of Fairhaven.

Roberts’ wife, Tammy, spoke with Eyewitness News Tuesday morning. She met Roberts when they were both 16.

She said that the captain reported seeing Roberts in the galley donning a life jacket just before the sinking. A short time later, the boat flipped over.

Tammy said Roberts does not know how to swim.

“[The Coast Guard] said they’re going to get in touch with me,” she said. “They did tell me that they can’t put in the divers since they haven’t located the boat as of yet. They’ve just located debris.”

According to Tammy, Roberts was aboard the Misty Blue in 2015 when he had to be rescued, though the ship did not sustain any damage at the time.

The Coast Guard diverted two helicopters to the scene, as well as a 47-foot lifeboat towards the vessel. They are investigating the cause of the incident.

The Misty Blue is a commercial fishing vessel, according to New Bedford port’s database of vessels.