Coast Guard launches formal investigation into schooner casualty

BOSTON – The Coast Guard has launched a formal investigation into the dismasting of the commercial passenger vessel Grace Bailey. The casualty aboard the schooner Grace Bailey killed one passenger, and injured three others. At 10 a.m., on Oct. 9, the Coast Guard responded to a schooner that had been dismasted, injuring four of the 33 people aboard approximately one mile east of Rockland Harbor. There were 27 passengers, and six crew aboard the Grace Bailey. A Coast Guard Station Rockland 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) crew launched to assist, and transferred a woman from the Grace Bailey to Rockland Harbor where she was transferred to awaiting EMS and pronounced deceased. “As a member of a lifesaving service, I am deeply saddened by this tragedy,” said Capt. Amy Florentino, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. “The Coast Guard is committed to conducting a thorough investigation aimed at identifying casual factors that will prevent an accident like this from reoccurring.” Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander of the First Coast Guard District, ordered a formal investigation to determine causal factors that led to the incident and to identify any other information that can improve maritime safety in the future.