7-year mystery ends as long-lost fishing vessel is discovered on ocean floor near Block Island
The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies searched for the ship and its two missing crew members for days, but the search was called off and the ship, along with the captain and another crew member, were never found.
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BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. - The wreckage of a fishing vessel is believed to have been found seven years after the ship sank near Block Island, Rhode Island.
According to Green Oceans, the shipwreck, believed to be the F/V Mistress, as well as apparent human remains, were found during a Green Oceans-sponsored investigation.
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F/V Mistress was a 52-foot wooden trawler operating out of Pt. Judith, Rhode Island. The vessel tragically sunk on January 1, 2019 in proximity to the Block Island Wind Farm, claiming the lives of two fishermen.
(Green Oceans / FOX Weather)
The commercial fishing vessel F/V Mistress sank on Jan. 1, 2019 near the Block Island Wind Farm. Two fishermen died.
The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies searched for the ship and its two missing crew members for days, but the search was called off and the ship, along with the captain and another crew member, were never found.
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A third person, the captain's son, was saved by a nearby boat from a life raft, Green Oceans reported.
Seven years after the wreck, a multidisciplinary team of marine professionals was assembled to search for and document the wreck, Green Oceans said.
A July 27, 2026 sidescan sonar image captured a detailed image of wreckage within 50 linear feet of the base of one of the Block Island Wind turbines (the square). The long black shadows are from the jackup barge on location during the survey. The sonar image is a relative linear feet of the base of one of the Block Island Wind turbines (the square). The long black shadows are from the jackup barge on location during the survey. The sonar image is a relative top-down view, which uses soundwave reflections to create imagery through the water.
(Green Oceans / FOX Weather)
In late July, a sonar scan revealed a wreckage site, and in late August, scientific divers performed an underwater assessment of the area.
"The divers documented numerous features consistent with the F/V Mistress, including its propeller and shaft, fuel tanks, net drum, deck hatch, processing equipment and other characteristics to support its identity," Green Oceans said.
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![Multiple vessel features were photographed on August 30, 2026 by a team of scientific divers. Vessel features were aligned with images of the FV Mistress contained within the USCG investigation to verify its identity.]()
Image 1 of 2Multiple vessel features were photographed on August 30, 2026, by a team of scientific divers. Vessel features were aligned with images of the FV Mistress contained within the USCG investigation to verify its identity. (Green Oceans)
![The net drum was among the key vessel identifiers, as it includes several unique features. It was found upside down relative to the wreckage orientation, supporting the USCG report that the vessel rolled upon sinking based on the account of one survivor.]()
Image 2 of 2The net drum was among the key vessel identifiers, as it includes several unique features. It was found upside down relative to the wreckage orientation, supporting the USCG report that the vessel rolled upon sinking, based on the account of one survivor. (Green Oceans)
The final identification of the wreckage will be confirmed by the appropriate authorities.
Green Oceans said the wreck is in approximately 92 feet of water and is 50 feet from the base of Block Island Wind Farm turbine No. 1.
The Block Island Wind Farm is located to the south and east of Block Island, RI, and consists of 5 offshore wind turbines.
(Green Oceans / FOX Weather)
The nonprofit said the discovery highlights the need to examine how permanent offshore infrastructure may affect visibility, radar navigation, maneuverability, emergency access and search and rescue operations.
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"We hope this discovery provides answers and some measure of closure for the fishermen’s families," Michael Lombardi, president of Green Oceans, said. "We have provided the new
evidence to federal authorities and requested that the wreck site be secured immediately for an appropriate forensic analysis."
Green Oceans is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting the ocean and all the life it sustains, from the largest whale to the smallest plankton, and pledges to share scientific facts and truthful information with the public.