Fishermen Remain Missing After Vessel Capsizes Near Wind Farm

BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. — The U.S. Coast Guard and good Samaritans continued their search for two missing fishermen near Block Island on Tuesday.

One fisherman from the fishing vessel Mistress was saved by the nearby Captain Bligh after the captain of the Mistress issued a mayday call at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday more than two miles south of Block Island, near the Block Island Wind Farm. The crew of the Captain Bligh reported that as they were carrying out rescue operations, the Mistress capsized, leaving two fishermen missing.

The Mistress is homeported in Point Judith, Rhode Island.

The Coast Guard says low visibility and poor weather conditions hampered initial search and rescue efforts, but multiple crews were dispatched as the weather and visibility improved.

Three Coast Guard cutters, a helicopter, an airplane, and several other vessels searched a 375 square nautical mile area Tuesday. Two cutters remained on scene overnight in the search for the missing fishermen.