GPS Unit for Missing Fishing Boat Found as Authorities Continue Search for the Vessel and Its Passengers
Authorities said a fishing boat that had left Orleans, Mass., on June 8 has not yet returned
'A cellphone ping last placed the vessel two miles offshore Chatham,' the Coast Guard said
A father and daughter discovered a GPS unit on a beach supposedly belonging to the missing boatThe U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a fishing boat off Cape Cod that has been overdue for several days now, while a GPS unit linked to the vessel was found by a father and daughter.
On Tuesday, June 10, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England said via Facebook that the boat, F/V Seahorse, 'was known to be fishing in the vicinity of Target Ship Wreck near Eastham in the Cape Cod Bay.'
'A cell phone ping last placed the vessel two miles offshore Chatham,' the agency added.
The ship's captain has been identified as Shawn Arsenault. The Coast Guard also described the 30-foot vessel as white with 'a mermaid on the bow and 'SEAHORSE' painted on the stern in rough lettering.'
In a news release shared on Tuesday, the Orleans Police Department, who are assisting in the search, said the boat departed Orleans, Mass., on Sunday, June 8, and had since not returned.
As reported by ABC affiliate WCVB, the boat carried Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend, Felicia Daley, 54. The couple was reportedly planning to go clamming.
PEOPLE reached out to the Coast Guard on Wednesday, June 11, for additional information. In an email to CBS affiliate WBZ, Coast Guard Lt. Quinn LeCain said Arsenault was reportedly seen throwing electronic equipment overboard.
'We can't confirm what exactly was thrown overboard. There was a Facebook comment saying that it was his old GPS," LeCain said.
Coast Guard Cmdr. Cliff Graham similarly stated, per WCVB. "It was reported he was throwing something overboard. I can't confirm what kind of equipment or what it was specifically."
Meanwhile, Sam Miller said she and her dad found a GPS unit with 'F/V Seahorse' on it at a beach Sunday morning, WBZ reported.
"Just hoping they find him quickly," Miller told the outlet. "I noticed in the surf there was something floating, so I went down to see what it was, and it turned out to be, we could tell it was a GPS unit off of a boat."
Miller's family left a note on Arsenault's truck, and then contacted the harbormaster when they noticed the truck had not moved the following day, per WCVB. The harbormaster then notified the Coast Guard.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
LeCain said the Coast Guard was alerted about the boat's disappearance on Tuesday morning, per the Cape Cod Times. Water and shoreline searches were performed in Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound.
Arsenault's brother expressed his concern, telling WCVB: "The boat was just checked out by his mechanic, he said everything was A-OK. He just got a new radar, a fish finder, and he was all excited about that. He got it all hooked up. He said he was going not coming home until he has his 30 bags."
Members of the public with information about the boat are encouraged to call the Coast Guard or the Orleans Police Department, which PEOPLE also reached out for comment.
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ship captain convicted of poaching lobsters, crabs and mussels
A Vietnamese national and captain of a 400-foot cargo ship docked in Newington was arrested last week by Fish and Game officers after receiving a tip about illegal lobster trapping. Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. He had a Vietnamese passport and United States visa, according to Conservation Officer Justin Whipple. In all, he paid $1,269 as part of the conviction. Mussels Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. The cargo ship, Franbo Lohas, which sails under the Panama flag, had been docked on the Piscataqua River in Newington. Fish and Game noticed multiple ropes extending from the ship with traps belonging to a licensed New Hampshire commercial fisherman. 'There were four lines total off of the ship, two large and two small,' Whipple said. 'The two large each had a trap they were actively using to fish.' Officers found lobsters, crabs and bags of blue mussels. A female egg-bearing lobster was found in an undersized cage just to keep it alive. The investigation started after Whipple received a tip from a local lobsterman who had his gear tangled in lines coming from the cargo ship. 'When he retrieved his gear, he pulled up what was clearly an illegal lobster pot,' he said. 'He took some photos, gave me a call and reported it.' Fish and Game needed to get permission from the Coast Guard and the pier operator SubCom to board the ship. Based on information provided to Fish and Game, this is the first time the ship docked in New Hampshire. Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. 'We had probable cause based on the photos to do the investigation with the blessing of the Coast Guard,' Whipple said. 'We wanted to do it quickly because we weren't sure when the ship would be leaving.' The violations include illegal trap construction, possession of a short egg-bearing lobster, unlawful possession of crabs, unlawful possession of blue mussels and an egg-bearing Jonah crab. Fish and Game was able to work with the courts for an expedited arraignment, which led to the conviction. The egg-bearing lobster likely had never been caught before because it did not have a 'v-notch' marking, which fishermen use to mark breeding lobster. 'Hopefully, it will encourage people to keep giving us calls if they see anything skeptical and know that we are willing to get out there and do the investigation and the legwork,' Whipple said. He's glad the case was able to be settled before the ship left port.
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Miami-Dade mayor was at World Cup party that broke up after Border agent arrived: ‘Troubling'
A federal immigration agent arrived Wednesday night at an exclusive World Cup party on Biscayne Bay attended by Miami-Dade County's mayor, who is calling the incident 'deeply troubling' and a potential warning sign that international soccer fans won't feel safe traveling to Miami next year for the global soccer matches. 'This should not have happened,' Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a second-term Democrat, said in a statement Thursday. 'Ensuring that all community members feel safe and included is crucial to maintaining our county's reputation as a welcoming destination for both residents and visitors.' The floating soiree, which was put on by Telemundo to celebrate the 2026 World Cup games being a year away, ended early after a Coast Guard boat conducted what an agency spokesperson said was a routine inspection of the barge that was the night's exclusive party spot. The Coast Guard spokesperson said one Customs and Border Protection agent was part of the federal team, and partygoers reported that authorities asked crew members of the party vessel, the Barefoot Princess, for identification that would prove their citizenship. No action was taken from the inspection beyond citations for safety violations against the vessel, said Lt. Nicolina Converso, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard's Miami station. She did not have details on the violations. 'This was a routine boarding,' she said. 'Sometimes we will randomly go and check on boats in the area.' In a later interview, Coast Guard spokesperson Nicole Groll emphasized that the Coast Guard's purpose for the vessel boarding was a safety check. 'This had nothing to do with the event that was happening onboard,' she said. 'This had everything to do with the operations and safety of the people onboard. And to make sure the business that was this boat was operating legally and safely.' Groll said the vessel in question was boarded earlier in the year and that safety issues were found then. She also said that it's standard procedure for the Coast Guard to run background checks on the professional crew operating a commercial vessel. 'They were talking to the captain and the crew,' she said. 'It's the same as if you get pulled over by a police officer.' Asked if federal agents asked crew members about their citizenship, Groll said she couldn't say for sure. 'I can't say which words were said,' she told the Herald. 'This was not a targeted immigration thing.' Telemundo, a Spanish-language network that broadcasts World Cup games, said it opted to cancel the event after the Coast Guard inspection delayed the start of the pre-sunset festivities. The statement did not address the immigration-enforcement concerns raised by Levine Cava. 'Due to delays caused by a routine Coast Guard inspection, Telemundo canceled its One Year to Go celebration,' the network statement said. 'We regret the inconvenience to our guests and appreciate their understanding.' The incident was first publicized on social media by Thomas Kennedy, an immigrant advocate in Miami. He shared with the Miami Herald a text message he said he received from a person at the party. 'They came on board, did an inspection,' the message read. 'A border control agent was also on board asking the boat staff specifically to show identification and proof of citizenship. This was while guests were already onboard…including the mayor.' Levine Cava did not say whether she saw anyone being asked for identification, but the owner of a different boat company told the Herald it is typical for the Coast Guard to ask professional crew members about citizenship during a stop. In her statement, Levine Cava said the Coast Guard boarding could be a black eye for the Miami area as it prepares to be a host of the 2026 World Cup games. Miami-Dade is contributing more than $40 million to subsidize the summer games, with hopes of a surge of international visitors and spending to offset the public expenditures. 'Miami-Dade is a globally recognized community that is proud to welcome visitors from around the world,' she said. 'This incident is deeply troubling as it can cause a chilling effect for visitors to continue feeling safe and welcomed in our community.'
CBS News
20 hours ago
- CBS News
Man found dead at Moss Landing Harbor after boat crash leads to fight
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said a man was found dead after a boat crash on Moss Landing Harbor led to a fight on Wednesday morning. He was identified by the Sheriff's Office as 26-year-old Trenten Paul Black of Aptos. Around 9 a.m., deputies and California State Parks officers were alerted to a boat crash at Moss Landing Harbor, the Sheriff's Office said. The Sheriff's Office said witnesses told them one of the boat operators boarded the other boat, and a physical confrontation happened. One of the people involved then fell into the water, and the other person allegedly continued to assault him with a stick, according to the Sheriff's Office. Witnesses notified deputies that one of the people was seen exiting the water with his boat. The Sheriff's Office said they detained that person for questioning. Meanwhile, the other person had not reappeared and could not be seen, witnesses told the Sheriff's Office. A dive team was sent to the scene, and along with the US Coast Guard and a SONAR device, they were able to locate a possible body in the water. Rescue crews recovered Black around 1:20 p.m., the Sheriff's Office said, and the Coroner's Office will determine his cause of death. No arrests were made as deputies continue to interview the witness and the involved person. The Sheriff's Office said they are still investigating, and they have not yet released information about who boarded whose boat.
