BOSTON – The Coast Guard suspended the search about 10:40 a.m. today for the four crewmen aboard the Lady of Grace, a New Bedford, Mass., based fishing vessel that sank about 11 nautical miles north of Nantucket, Massachusetts Friday evening.
The crew of the 75-foot dragger is identified as Antonio Barroqueiro, Rogerio Vendura, Mario Farinha and Joao Silva.
“Suspending a search is one of the hardest decisions a district commander has to make,” said Rear Adm. Tim Sullivan, Commander, First Coast Guard District. “As we move from the search to trying to learn what led to this tragic loss, we hope to find ways to continue to improve the safety of mariners. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the fishermen’s families and to the New Bedford fishing community.”
The Coast Guard conducted 27 separate searches covering more than 6,300 square miles employing HU-25 Falcon jet crews and HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Cape Cod, the Massachusetts-based Coast Guard Cutters Bainbridge Island, Hammerhead and Seneca and search boat crews from Station Menemsha, Station Brant Point and Station Woods Hole.
In coordination with the Coast Guard were local and state search and rescue teams, including divers from the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council.
During this case, the Coast Guard used a new state-of-the-art search planning tool, called SAROPS, which uses GIS technology for the latest charts and imagery. With multiple wind and surface current sources as inputs, this tool helps to provide computer generated search planning for coastal as well as offshore cases.
The Coast Guard reminds the New England fishing community that the North Atlantic is a dangerous and unpredictable environment, and to be mindful or the dangers inherent in their work.
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Source: USCG D1 Boston Public Affairs
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