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Tag: Missing

Seahorse

Seahorse

Seahorse
Photo: USCG

On June 10, the United States Coast Guard listed the 30 foot fishing vessel Seahorse as overdue. The Seahorse was last known to be fishing in Cape Cod Bay near the “Target” shipwreck (read more below) off Eastham, Massachusetts. The Coast Guard states the vessel and the 2 crew members onboard were to have been back in port on June 8 and that a ping from a cell phone of a crew member had located the vessel just 2 miles offshore of Chatham.  The Coast Guard has asked for anyone who has any information about the missing fishing vessel to contact the Southern New England Command Center.  The Seahorse has a painted mermaid on its bow and the name of the vessel painted on the stern.

SS James Longstreet:  The “Target” shipwreck

In the spring of 1945, the 441 foot long, 7000 dwt liberty ship SS James Longstreet was run aground on New Found Shoal off Eastham, Massachusetts. The vessel was only 3 years old being built in 1942 in Houston, Texas. During the war, the SS James Longstreet had completed three voyages which included reaching Australia, India and Sri Lanka along with trips to various ports to England.  The liberty ship was able to avoid submarines and enemy planes, but the vessel was less unlucky on its return trip to America.  In late 1943, the SS James Longstreet got caught in a severe nor’easter and was unable to keep itself from going aground off Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Salvage efforts were able to pull the vessel free, but the liberty ship had sustained too much hull damage and declared a total loss.

SS James Longstreet
Photo: capecodtimes.com

Rather than scrap the liberty ship, the US Navy repaired the hull, but stripped the SS James Longstreet of all its machinery and gear. The vessel was then towed to various locations to be moored for “target practice”  The Navy moored the vessel off New York until a gale in November 1944 the SS James Longstreet broke her moorings and drifted away. The vessel evaded the US Navy until December 8 when it was recovered and towed to Norfolk.  There the vessel was there until February 1945 when it was towed to its final resting place in Cape Cod Bay. There the SS James Longstreet was grounded on the reef and allowed to settle where much of the hull remained above water.  For years the vessel was used for target practice until 1970 when it was left as a derelict. The hulk remained visible until late 1996 when a storm caused the remains to sink into deeper water.  Reports state that part of the vessel can still be visible on certain low tides. However, the site is off limits to divers due to the risk of unexploded ordnance in the area.

Canis Majoris

Canis Majoris

Hubbard

On the evening of February 20, the 43 foot long fishing vessel Canis Majoris went missing in the Nichols Passage near Thorne Bay, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. The Coast Guard was alerted by the fishing vessel’s EPIRB and launched a search and rescue operation. The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter from Sitka along with a fast response boat from Ketchikan and the 46 meter long cutter John McCormick to search the area. The 86 meter long, 6096 dwt ro-ro passenger ferry Hubbard (IMO:9812808) was headed for Juneau was nearby and joined in the search.  The Hubbard found a life raft and floating debris but no survivors. The Coast Guard continued the search for another 25 hours before calling it off.  Authorities stated there was likely only one person onboard at the time the vessel was lost.

John McCormick

MV Butiraoi

MV Butiraoi

MV Butiraoi

The 17.5 meter long wooden catamaran ferry Butiraoi was reported missing in the Pacific Ocean in the Kiribati Islands. The Butiraoi had departed from Nonouti on January 18 bound for Betio. The voyage of 160 miles typically takes 2 days to complete failed to arrive on January 20.  A search began for the missing vessel including aircraft from New Zealand and Fiji.

Reports state no signs of the vessel or the 50 persons on board as of January 26. The search includes many small atolls in a wide area. Additional reports state the catamaran had undergone repairs to its propeller shaft just before departing Nonouti.

MV Butiraoi

Update:

A New Zealand aircraft spotted seven survivors in a small boat on a search on January 28. The aircraft dropped supplies to the survivors while authorities requested assistance from vessels in the area. The fishing vessel Lomalo which is 92 kilometers away from the survivors is expected to reach the survivors later the same day.

Survivors have told authorities over radio that the ferry had lost stability and capsized. They had little time and had just enough time to get into the small dinghy before the ferry sank. The dinghy had no engine or water on board.

Reports state additional debris has been spotted in the search area.