Divers say they found the long-missing F/V Mistress and apparent human remains just 50 feet from a Block Island wind turbine.
At a Glance
- Green Oceans sponsored a private dive that located a wreck believed to be the F/V Mistress near Block Island.
- Divers documented features matching the vessel and reported a set of apparent human remains at the site.
- The site lies in about 92 feet of water and within roughly 50 feet of a turbine in the Block Island Wind Farm.
- Green Oceans asked the Department of the Interior to coordinate an interagency review and reopen the Coast Guard case.
A wreck found where a search ended seven years ago
Green Oceans said its dive team located a wreck believed to be the commercial fishing boat F/V Mistress on the seafloor off Rhode Island, in about 92 feet of water and near a Block Island wind turbine.
The group reported the find after a survey on August 30. The vessel sank on January 1, 2019, after a distress call just after midnight, and officials classified the boat and two crew as lost that year.
A fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Rhode Island on New Year's Day in 2019 with three men aboard has likely been located. https://t.co/ktDJj5eA9T
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 23, 2026
The new report says numerous features at the site match the F/V Mistress, and divers observed a set of apparent human remains. The location sits roughly 50 feet from one of the wind farm’s turbines, according to Green Oceans.
The group said the United States Coast Guard closed its original inquiry without finding the wreck. The recent discovery fills that location gap and puts fresh focus on what happened during and after the sinking.
Why proximity to the turbine matters now
Green Oceans asked the United States Department of the Interior to coordinate an interagency investigation and to reopen the Coast Guard case. The nonprofit also asked for a review of operations and safety inside turbine-congested waters.
The goal is to assess whether the wind farm’s layout, traffic, or maintenance affected navigation, detection, or rescue access on the night of the loss or later recovery efforts. That request seeks documents and transparency for the families and the fleet.
The Coast Guard’s past classification of the vessel and crew as lost left families with no place, no timeline, and few details. Finding a wreck near fixed energy infrastructure can change the questions investigators ask.
A site-specific review can check turbine logs, inspection records, and any exclusion or safety zones that may channel boats or complicate searches.
Such records, if produced, could help map what ships and aircraft saw, where they searched, and why the boat stayed hidden for years.
What the discovery can and cannot answer yet
The dive report opens a path to confirm the hull’s identity through measurements, gear, and serial numbers. It also allows forensic experts to examine the remains for DNA and compare with family references, which can bring long-delayed closure.
The public reports so far describe the remains as apparent, and station that formal identification work lies ahead. A measured match of the wreck and a lab result on the remains would settle key facts for the record.
Delayed finds like this are common in marine losses, especially in deeper water or in areas with clutter and sediment. A seven-year gap makes full reconstruction harder, but not impossible, when divers can document the site and chain of custody.
That is why an interagency process, with the Coast Guard at the center and support from relevant departments, makes sense for fairness, rigor, and trust. Families deserve a complete file, not a legend passed down the dock.
Safety, accountability, and the working water
The core duty of government at sea is simple: keep people safe, search hard, and tell the truth. If records show the wind farm had no role in the casualty or rescue, then clarity can calm the waters and guide future search plans.
If logs or layouts show a hazard or a blind spot, then fix the gap and set tighter rules. Either way, facts serve everyone who works the water and every taxpayer who funds rescue aircraft and cutters.
F/V MISTRESS Shipwreck ‘Lost’ Near Block Island Located After Seven Yearshttps://t.co/ndLVSFdQZi@GreenOceansRI @WSJ @nypost @FoxNews @BBC @guardian @fishstewardship @ACKCurrent @TheStonesEG @mtkblb @njcoast_protect @Orsted @BITimes @thy_back_door @projo @NewBedfordLight
— Charlotte Licholai (@MrsLicholai) September 22, 2026
Common sense says measure first and debate later. Document the wreck with video, sonar, and photos. Log the dimensions and compare them to the Mistress. Secure the remains with a clear chain of custody and let the lab work speak.
Publish the Coast Guard file and any Department of the Interior correspondence that guides the scope. Then issue a plain-language report. That is how you honor the lost, steady the fleet, and chart a safer course along the Block Island line.
