More than 7 years after the commercial fishing vessel F/V MISTRESS sank near Block Island on January 1, 2019, a Green Oceans-sponsored investigation has located a wreck believed to be the missing vessel, along with apparent human remains, resting just 50 feet from turbine #1 of the Block Island Wind Farm.
The original U.S. Coast Guard investigation was closed without locating the hull after two fishermen lost their lives. Official records cite high winds, low ceilings, and proximity to wind turbines as hazards that forced a Coast Guard helicopter to abort its rescue attempt after 37 minutes. The captain’s son was rescued from a life raft by another vessel, but the captain and a crew member were never recovered.
On July 27, 2026, a multidisciplinary team used side-scan sonar to locate the target in 92-feet of water. On August 30, scientific divers documented features matching the F/V MISTRESS, including its propeller, fuel tanks, net drum, and processing equipment. Final identification remains subject to confirmation by authorities.
The wreck’s position being directly adjacent to the turbine raises critical questions regarding search and rescue operations, maritime safety near offshore infrastructure, and initial reporting that placed the wreckage miles to the east. Since 2019, federal offshore wind approvals have relied on findings that turbines would not significantly hinder search and rescue efforts, characterizing navigation risks as “minimal.”
“What is ‘minimal’ about the loss of two men’s lives and the consequences for the families they left behind?” asked Green Oceans Trustee Barbara Chapman.
Green Oceans has submitted sonar imagery, photographs, and documentation to the U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, and Rhode Island officials. The organization is asking the Department of the Interior to coordinate an interagency review, reopen the marine casualty investigation, and provide full public transparency regarding subsea maintenance at the site.
“We hope this discovery provides answers and some measure of closure for the fishermen’s families,” said Michael Lombardi, President of Green Oceans. “We have provided the new evidence to federal authorities and requested that the wreck site be secured immediately for an appropriate forensic analysis.”
These findings raise many questions about maritime safety within close proximity to wind turbines and underscore the rescue challenges that these offshore structure present when there is a need for aerial extraction.
