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.
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.
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.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.
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.