BLOCK ISLAND, RI — A long-running mystery off Rhode Island may have reached a turning point. A wreck believed to be the commercial fishing vessel F/V Mistress was found on the ocean floor near Block Island, seven years after the boat sank and two crew members were never recovered.
Green Oceans said the discovery also included apparent human remains. The nonprofit said a multidisciplinary team searched the area after years of uncertainty around the vessel’s final resting place, and it shared the findings with federal authorities.
The wreck sits near the Block Island Wind Farm, in water about 92 feet deep. Green Oceans said the site is only 50 feet from turbine No. 1, a detail the group says raises broader questions about offshore safety and visibility.
How the F/V Mistress sank and who was lost
The F/V Mistress went down on Jan. 1, 2019, near the Block Island Wind Farm. Two fishermen died in the sinking, and a third person, identified by Green Oceans as the captain’s son, survived after being rescued from a life raft by a nearby boat.
After the accident, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies searched for the vessel and the missing crew members for days. That search was eventually called off, leaving the ship and the two people still missing somewhere offshore.
For years, the lack of a confirmed location left families and investigators without a clear answer about where the boat came to rest or what the site looked like under the water.
Sonar work in July led divers to the wreck site in August
Green Oceans said a multidisciplinary team of marine professionals was assembled to look for the vessel and document what remained. The effort led to a sonar scan in late July that revealed a wreckage site offshore.
Scientific divers returned in late August to examine the area underwater. Green Oceans said they documented several features that matched the F/V Mistress, including the propeller and shaft, fuel tanks, net drum, deck hatch and processing equipment.
Those details, according to the nonprofit, gave investigators enough evidence to believe they had located the long-lost fishing vessel. Final confirmation, however, is still expected from the proper authorities.
What the discovery means for families and investigators
Green Oceans president Michael Lombardi said the group hopes the discovery can bring some measure of closure to the fishermen’s families. The nonprofit said it has already passed the new evidence to federal authorities and asked for the wreck site to be secured right away for forensic review.
The apparent remains found at the site add urgency to that request. Green Oceans said the location should be protected so investigators can properly assess the wreck and determine what it can reveal about the sinking.
For the families of the missing crew members, the newly identified site may be the first concrete sign in years that the search has finally found the right place.
Questions about offshore wind infrastructure and rescue access
Green Oceans said the discovery points to a larger issue beyond one fishing boat. The nonprofit argues that permanent offshore infrastructure can affect how well mariners can see hazards, use radar, maneuver in tight conditions and reach people in an emergency.
The organization said the F/V Mistress wreck is close enough to the Block Island Wind Farm to raise concerns about search-and-rescue operations and access during an emergency. It used the discovery to underscore the need to examine how offshore projects interact with commercial fishing and navigation.
That warning is part of Green Oceans’ broader mission as a Rhode Island-based nonprofit focused on ocean protection. The group says it aims to share scientific facts and truthful information about the waters and the life they support.
What happens next after the underwater discovery
The wreck’s identification is not yet final, and authorities will need to confirm it before the case is closed. Still, the underwater evidence has moved the search much closer to an answer than anyone had in years.
Green Oceans said the site has already been documented and that it wants the area preserved for a proper forensic look. If the wreck is formally confirmed as the F/V Mistress, investigators could use the remains and debris field to better understand how the vessel sank and what happened afterward.
For now, the discovery marks a significant development in a case that began with a fatal New Year’s Day sinking and ended, at least in part, with a wreck found just offshore from Block Island.
A long search that ended with visible evidence on the seabed
The location of the vessel had remained uncertain since the 2019 sinking, despite early searches by the Coast Guard and other agencies. The new find changes that by giving investigators a physical site to study rather than a missing boat somewhere in open water.
Green Oceans said the wreck’s condition and the objects found around it helped point to the Mistress. The organization’s account suggests the seabed may now hold important clues not only about the vessel’s identity but also about the final moments of the sinking.
Even with confirmation still pending, the discovery closes a seven-year gap in the story of a boat that vanished after a deadly accident off Rhode Island.
A long search that ended with visible evidence on the seabed
The location of the vessel had remained uncertain since the 2019 sinking, despite early searches by the Coast Guard and other agencies. The new find changes that by giving investigators a physical site to study rather than a missing boat somewhere in open water.
Green Oceans said the wreck’s condition and the objects found around it helped point to the Mistress. The organization’s account suggests the seabed may now hold important clues not only about the vessel’s identity but also about the final moments of the sinking.
Even with confirmation still pending, the discovery closes a seven-year gap in the story of a boat that vanished after a deadly accident off Rhode Island.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
