One Dead, Three Injured After Mast Snaps Aboard Schooner During Tourist Cruise

This photo provided by Kurt Schleicher shows the schooner Grace Bailey with its main mast broken off the coast of Rockland, Maine, on Oct. 9, 2023. (Kurt Schleicher via AP)

One person has died, and three others were injured off the coast of Maine following the collapse of the main mast onboard a historic schooner operating as an excursion vessel.

The schooner, Rockland-based Grace Bailey, was originally built in 1882 but has since been restored and become part of a collection of sailing vessels owned by the Grace Bailey Navigation Company that take people on multi-day trips up and down the coast.

The vessel’s website says it is a 118 feet long two-masted schooner with 15 cabins that can house 29 passengers.

In a statement to the Epoch Times, the Grace Bailey Navigation Company said the vessel’s main mast suffered a “catastrophic failure,” on Oct.9 splintering and falling onto the deck.

One person reportedly died after sustaining a severe head wound. Three others were taken to hospital with non life threatening injuries.

“The captain and owners of the schooner have no additional information or knowledge of why the mast failed,” the statement said.

“Out of respect of the privacy of the crew and guests, no names or information about the passengers will be provided at this time.”

The Grace Bailey was returning from a four-day cruise and had 33 people onboard, presumably including passengers and crew.

The vessel’s captain, Sam Sikkema, has said the entire crew are “devastated” and “beyond heartbroken that we lost a dear friend.”

Charlie Weidman, owner of Charlie’s Marine Service and a trained emergency medical technician, was reportedly first on the scene after the initial mayday.

He found one victim already undergoing CPR, another with a head injury, and two others who had suffered crushing and spinal injuries.

Mr. Weidman said it was an “unforeseen circumstance,” but from what he saw, everyone “acted with professionalism” and did the best they could with the abilities at their disposal.

The Coast Guard and Rockland EMS responded to the scene soon after Mr. Weidman.

Fortunately, the Coast Guard vessel was nearby and was able to evacuate the injured passengers within minutes of the mast’s collapse.

Cause of Accident Still Unknown

It’s currently unknown why the mast snapped, but the Coast Guard is thoroughly investigating the incident, with personnel from the Marine Safety Detachment in Belfast at the helm.

According to the Portland Press Herald, Jim Sharp, a former captain with more than 40 years of sailing experience, said the failure of a schooner mast—without other factors such as poor weather or a collision—is extremely rare.

In fact, he went so far as to say he’d never “seen anything like this,” commenting that “these windjammers are very safe vessels.”

He speculated that a mast breaking in such a fashion could result from rot created by freshwater, specifically rainwater, soaking into the wood points along the mast.

He said that regular maintenance is required to repair and seal any areas where freshwater can get into the wood.

According to the Grace Bailey’s website, the schooner was originally built in New York around 1882 by Oliver Perry Smith, and was later named for owner Edwin Bailey’s daughter.

The vessel was rebuilt in 1906 and renamed for Mr. Bailey’s granddaughter, Martha, nicknamed Mattie.

The original name, Grace Bailey, was restored when the schooner was refurbished again in 1990 and repurposed for tourist excursions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.