1950 — Apr 7-8, New Bedford MA scallop dragger Four Sisters lost E of Nantucket MA–all 10

–10  AP. “2d Fishing Craft, Crew Feared Lost.” The Charleston Gazette, WV, 4-10-1950, p. 1.

–10  USCG. FV Four Sisters, sinking…loss of life of crew…vic. of Nantucket Shoal…Apr, 1950.

Narrative Information

United States Coast Guard memorandum on sinking of FV Four Sisters off Nantucket Shoal:

“1. Pursuant to the provisions of Title 46 C.F.R., Part 136, the record of the Marine Board convened to investigate subject casualty, together with its Findings of Fact, Opinions and Recommendations, has been reviewed and is forwarded herewith.

 

“2. The motorboat, Four Sisters, 43 gross tons, 64.6′ in length, wood hull, built in 1926, was regularly employed as a commercial fishing vessel out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. This vessel with approximately 700 gallons of scallops on board was proceeding to Pollock Rip[1] in order to make the Woods Hole market and was last sighted at about 0600 on 7 April, 1950, in a position near No. 10 Buoy east of Nantucket. It is presumed that the Four Sisters foundered with the loss of all persons on board. On 7 April, 1950, the wind velocity in the area of the casualty reached as high as 52 miles per hour with occasional gusts of 65 miles per hour.

 

“3. As a result of this casualty the following crew members lost their lives:

 

Gunnar Pedersen [Captain]                 Victor Boine

Martin Johnson                                   James Morrison

James Lopes, Jr.                                  George St. Clair

Manuel Moniz, Jr.                               John Correia, Jr.

Louis Boine                                         Kenneth Dyer

 

“4. The Board made the following Findings of Fact

 

  • That the Four Sisters of New Bedford, Official No. 225463, of 43 gross tons, was owned and operated out of New Bedford by [name blacked out], Master Gunnar Pedersen.
  • That the vessel was a wooden hull built in 1936 in Thomaston, Maine.
  • That the vessel sailed from New Bedford on March 29.
  • That the Four Sisters was last sighted on the morning of 7 April at about 0600 in a position near No. 10 Buoy, east of Nantucket.

….

(8) That when the Four Sisters started for Pollock Rip, the weather was already too rough

      for fishing.

….

(12)  That Mr. [blacked out], the owner, first informed the Coast Guard that the Four Sisters

        Was overdue on April 9 at or about 1000.

(13)  That on April 9 the Coast Guard searched by planes and vessels 4533 square mils.

….

(17) That the total area searched was 21369 square miles

….

(21) That small craft warnings were hoisted on April 3 at 6:00 a.m.

(22) That these warnings were kept up continuously until at 10:00 a.m. on April 7 they

        were changed to northeast storm warnings.

….

(30) That the Master of the Fishing Vessel Friendship reported winds seventy-five to eighty miles per hour, estimated, and seas of sixty to seventy feet.

(31) That the Master of the Fishing Vessel Dagnet considered the storm too severe to attempt going through Pollock Rip Slue.

….

“5. The Board expressed the following Opinions:

 

  • That the vessel foundered while en route from off Buoy No. 10, east of Nantucket Island, toward Pollock Rip on or about April 7.
  • That the nail fastening of planking, including butts, was a poor type of construction in this vessel.

….

“6. The Board made the following Recommendations:

  • That the Fishing Vessel Four Sisters be officially declared lost at sea.
  • That all vessels licensed for commercial fishing be brought under existing regulations for merchant vessels.

….”

Newspaper

 

April 9, AP: “Boston, April 9, – (AP) – A second New Bedford scallop dragger was reported missing tonight with 10 men aboard in the same general area off Nantucket where pounding seas yesterday sank another dragger with a loss of eight lives. The Coast Guard said there has been no report from the 64-foot dragger Four Sisters since last Friday. She was last reported about 40 miles from the William Landry, 63-foot New Bedford dragger which was broken to bits as she struggled through heavy seas and a snowstorm….” (Associated Press. “2d Fishing Craft, Crew Feared Lost.” The Charleston Gazette, WV, 4-10-1950, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “2d Fishing Craft, Crew Feared Lost.” The Charleston Gazette, WV, 4-10-1950, p. 1.

United States Coast Guard. Memorandum from Chief, Merchant Vessel Inspection Division, to Commandant, USCG. Subj: FV Four Sisters, sinking of with loss of life of crew in the vicinity of Nantucket Shoal area during April, 1950. Washington, DC: USCG, 8 August, 1950.

[1] The Pollock Rip Channel is northeast of Nantucket and south of Chatham, MA.

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