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Fishing Vessel Plan B Sinks Off The Coast of Maine
When Captain Danny Fill and crewmember David Jones Jr. left the dock in Portland Maine early this morning bound for Gloucester there was no indication of any problems with the Plan B an 81 foot Southern style fishing vessel out of Gloucester Mass. (Documented Rockland Maine). A few hours into their trip to Gloucester the vessel began flooding and they abandoned ship onto a lobster boat the Cameran Lee. The Coast Guard cutter Tahoma was diverted to the scene and a helicopter and rescueboat were dispatched as well.
The cause of flooding has not been officially released but sources speculate that the cause may have been a rupture in a 4 inch pvc pump out pipe located in the engine room. Engine room flooding is particularly dangerous to vessels due to the loss of power associated with the generators being flooded. Loss of power defeats the ability of the vessel to pump it's bilges resulting in sinking. It was a calm weather sinking with winds at 10 to 15 knots and calm seas.
The two members of the crew abandoned the boat without injury. The Plan B had just finished the Gulf of Maine shrimp fishery and was en route to Gloucester to prepare for the herring seine season. Danny Fill is a long time fisherman and has been the top captain in the G.O.M. herring fishery in the past.
The images in this article were taken by crewmember David Jones Jr. and are published here with his consent.
The Plan B.tied at the wharf in Gloucester. Copyrightv JJthe fisherman
Plan B taking on water a few hours from Portland Maine. Image by David Joyce Jr.
Plan B going down with uncontrollable flooding in the Engine room. Image taken by David Joyce Jr. after he and Captain Danny Fill abandoned the vessel.
Plan B sinking a few hours from PortlandMaine. Image taken by Plan B crewmember David Joyce Jr.
This image taken by David Joyce shows the Plan B sunk by the bow and close to sinking entirely.
Here is an article I did on the Plan B during happier days.
Here is a video and news report from the Bangor Daily News
All of the captions on these images are incorrect and cannot be edited for some reason. David Jones Jr. took all of those images.
My source is a fellow crewmember here on Fishing Vessel Osprey so it would be both unkind and nor very diplomatic to suggest that he may have at least some brain damage.
