Prince Henry The Navigator Statue Rededicated

Before the departure of the Portuguese tall ship Sagres on Thursday, it's Captain and crew joined with the City of New Bedford in rededicating the statue of Prince Henry the Navigator at Pope's Island.

Mayor Jon Mitchell says the statue is a wonderful symbol of the ties between Portugal and the City of New Bedford.

"Prince Henry's contribution to western history was that he really launched western exploration, and it was in that spirit that New Bedford was built," said Mitchell. "We sent whalers all around the world to hunt the biggest creatures in the sea, and we're the largest commercial fishing port in the United States now."

The rededication was organized by the Prince Henry Society of New Bedford, that recently obtained grant money to repair the base of the monument which had been damaged by weather over the years. The statue was originally dedicated in 1994.