Emmy Rose sinks

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/11...g-boat-sinks-off-massachusetts-with-4-aboard/
82’ fish boat sinks in local waters with loss of all souls. Must of been quite sudden as raft launched but not occupied. At this time SAR has been called off. Cause unknown but possibly broke its back or other massive structural failure causing very sudden flooding and sinking.
Condolences and prayers for them and theirs.

Not good with current water temperatures.

1987 is not an old boat with good maintenance.

A large number of commercial fish boats with all hands lost occur from suddend roll overs due to loading of catch or a bottom snag.

I wonder what type of fishery was it involved in? Looks like a dragger.... but cant be sure as they switch fisheries seasonally.


Interesting comment from the article... wonder if related? Another cause of fishing boat sinkings...they leave the dock with know leaks and faulty pumping systems.


"She said that last she heard the crew was doing some welding on the boat as it was taking on water."

I believe bottom fishing with full load of ice but in transit. Home port in Maine but started out from P’town with planned stop in Gloucester. Then home to Portland. Don’t think it was a roll as epirb went off. Then silence when owner tried to call them on the satphone. Would think roll then down flooding then sink. Seconds. So no time to launch raft unless perfect automatic deployment from hydrostatic release and epirb not found so probably manual deployment and went down with the boat. All conjecture at this point. Just so sad. Also sea was up don’t don’t think they were actively fishing in 6-8’.

Believe both the EPIRB and liferaft would be on hydro releases....but sometimes foul due to poor locations and don't float free.


The EPIRB went off...and unless tethered to the boat (bad idea) ...just because it wasn't found..well having looked for them in the open sea, rough weather...not surprising. Plus news reporting on technical issues are often less than desired.





From CFRs....



§ 28.125 Stowage of survival craft. (a) Each inflatable liferaft required to be equipped with a SOLAS A or a SOLAS B equipment pack must be stowed so as to float free and automatically inflate in the event the vessel sinks.


§ 25.26-5 Commercial fishing industry vessels.
(a) The owner of a fishing vessel, a fish processing vessel, or a fish tender vessel, 11 meters (36 feet) or more in length, except for vessels described in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, shall ensure that the vessel does not operate on the high seas or beyond three miles from the coastline of the Great Lakes unless it has on board a float-free, automatically activated Category 1 406 MHz EPIRB stowed in a manner so that it will float-free if the vessel sinks.

the same owner lost another boat in 2018, the Arron and Mellissa 2..with less tragic consequences.
Search was suspended yesterday afternoon.

I was often amazed...as a guy who flew on many a commercial sinking....


How some vessels were models of maintenance and safety and others not even close.

Than ps. Good to know. But don’t understand if floated free shouldn’t it have 48 h of transmission. Details unclear but think that didn’t happen. Defer to you.

Hippocampus said:

Than ps. Good to know. But don’t understand if floated free shouldn’t it have 48 h of transmission. Details unclear but think that didn’t happen. Defer to you.

Click to expand...

It might have a defective battery...or just ran down quickly due to water temps...antenna could have broken become defective, could have tangled in debris, etc..etc...


Even if perfect...finding one is very difficult in less than perfect conditions...plus the goal is to find people...not just the EPIRB so your focus and helo usage is different.


Did the article or any other source say the USCG tried to find and recover the EPIRB? Heck..they may have seen it but recovery in the current weather was considered too risky.

psneeld said:

How some vessels were models of maintenance and safety and others not even close.

Click to expand...

Previous owner was known as the Codfather and pleaded guilty to flouting catch limits and smuggling cash out of the country.

Guess they aren’t all George Clooney.

I believe the EPIRB was found.

They were fishing for: groundfish such as haddock, pollock and flounder. They were carrying 45,000 pounds of fish, which was their capacity.

According to the article:

"She [Daughter of one of the missing crewman] said that last she heard the crew was doing some welding on the boat as it was taking on water."

Sad and unfotunate loss. They were good hard working family men participating in the second most dangerous industy. All to bring a high quality protein source to society.

Bud