Latest news with #ShawnArsenault
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Double tragedy off Maine coast after fisherman and girlfriend encountered SHIPWRECK while gathering clams
A fishing boat captain and his girlfriend have died after encountering a shipwreck off the coast of Cape Cod. Shawn Arsenault, 64, and Felicia Daley, 54, vanished without a trace after setting off from Rock Harbor in Orleans, Massachusetts to go clamming on Sunday. A frantic manhunt was launched for the pair, with officials finally finding Arsenault's sunken boat three days later about five miles away, near Eastham. The couple were found inside the 'wheelhouse' of the boat, the captain's brother Paul Arsenault told the Boston Globe. They were not wearing life jackets and had not made a distress call, he added. Paul suspects his brother's beloved Seahorse, a 30-foot white-hulled vessel, got 'hooked up on a wreck that was on the bottom of the ocean'. He thinks the incident 'happened so fast' that Arsenault and Daley were unable to contact emergency services for help. The Coast Guard is also investigating reports that the fisherman threw electronic electronic equipment into the water before leaving the harbor. Arsenault and Daley planned to go clamming near the Target Ship Wreck in Cape Cod Bay aboard the Seahorse, which features a painted mermaid on the bow. They were reported missing on Tuesday morning when the harbormaster saw Arsenault's truck still parked at marina two days after the Seahorse left the harbor. Authorities began to search for the pair at the boat's last known location, which according to a cell phone ping was roughly two miles offshore from Chatham. Search crews were set to both sides of the harbor because 'phone pings have a high degree of variability'. The Coast Guard issued an urgent emergency alert and carried out an extensive search of Cape Cod Bay's fishing area overnight. A recreational fisherman spotted Arsenault's missing boat on Wednesday morning which, according to the Coast Guard, was found 'off shore inside the bay'. The cellphone ping 'put them offshore in Chatham on the wrong side', a spokesperson added. Officials previously said weather likely wasn't a factor in their disappearance, although search efforts were hampered by fog and thunderstorms. Paul said his brother and Daley, who had been dating for several months, were both experienced on boats. He told the newspaper that owning the Seahorse was 'Shawn's dream' and Sunday marked 'only his third time out' on the boat. Arsenault recently got 'new radar' and a 'fish finder', Paul added, noting his brother 'was excited' about his new equipment. Witnesses reported seeing Arsenault throw equipment overboard when he left the dock on Sunday morning. 'I noticed in the surf there was something floating, so I went down to see what it was, and it turned out to be a GPS unit off of a boat,' local resident Sam Miller, who spotted the device while walking along the beach with her father told CBS Boston. 'We could tell it was a GPS unit off a boat... it had blue tape on it that said 'F/V Seahorse.' The Coast Guard confirmed it have received reports from locals, but did not say what equipment may have been tossed. The agency is investigating the reports. But Paul remains skeptical, telling the Globe that he 'can't imagine' Arsenault throwing anything overboard because 'all that stuff means a lot to him'. The grieving brother also paid tribute to Arsenault and his partner, whom he claims were 'absolutely nuts about each other'. He hailed the fishing captain as a 'hero' and said he was 'very loved in his community', sharing how Arsenault would go out of his way to help those in need. 'There was one gentleman with Parkinson's ... my brother would cook him dinner every night and walk it down to him,' he told the newspaper. 'That's the kind of person he was.' Arsenault also 'loved being on the water,' Paul explained, telling WCVB: 'He loved the excitement. He loved being his own boss. He loved being a captain.' He added the tragedy is 'like a nightmare' and he is still 'waiting to wake up'. The couple's friends are also mourning their deaths, with Arsenault's friend Patrick sharing how the late fisherman was 'cracking jokes' and had a voice so loud that 'you would know he was in the next town over'. Daley's friend Scott Amerault told TV station 'if you had her as a friend, you had a good friend'. Although he is wondering what went wrong in the harbor, Amerault said the ocean 'takes you when it wants to' and 'you can't question what the ocean does'. Some locals have suggested the structure of the boat may have contributed to the tragedy, with one alleging it was 'not a very stable boat'. 'It had a round shine, and a lot of gear high. If it got hung up on a drag or something like that, it'd go right over,' charter operator Hap Farrell to WCVB. Coast Guard Commander Cliff Graham, in a statement to NBC 10, confirmed the tragedy and said: 'Our hearts go out to the families of both persons onboard. 'The level of support from our maritime response partners and members from the fishing and local community was remarkable. It directly contributed to detection of the vessel and closure for the family.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Captain and Girlfriend Found Dead on Fishing Boat After Going Missing For Several Days: Reports
A captain and his girlfriend have reportedly been found deceased on a fishing boat The bodies of Shawn Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend Felicia Daley, 54, were found on a missing fishing boat off Cape Cod Bay on Wednesday, June 11 The fishing boat departed Orleans, Mass., on Sunday, June 8, but never returnedA captain and his girlfriend who went missing after setting sail on Sunday, June 8 have reportedly been found. According to wcvb5, the bodies of Shawn Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend Felicia Daley, 54, were found on Arsenault's fishing boat off Cape Cod Bay on Wednesday, June 11. CBS News reported that the white boat was found around 2:00 p.m. near Brewster beaches by a recreational boater. According to the outlet, the captain left Orleans, Massachusetts with Daley days earlier. In a Thursday, June 12 press release, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a boat had been found with two "presumably deceased" people onboard. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The discovery came 'after an extensive multi-agency search," the release noted. Officials added, 'It was reported a recreational fisherman discovered the 30-foot white-hulled vessel while trolling near the search area on Wednesday.' 'Coast Guard Cutter William Sparling (WPC-1154) arrived on scene within 30 minutes,' the statement continued. 'Divers from the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) and Massachusetts State Police (MSP) were also on scene. It was reported that MEP and MSP identified the vessel as the Seahorse and found two people onboard, presumably deceased. The next of kin were notified.' The statement did not identify Arsenault and Daley. Speaking to 7NEWS, Arsenault's brother, Paul, remembered his brother as a proud father with decades of fishing experience. 'He ran boats all his life,' he said. "He just loved being on the water," he told wcvb5. "He loved the excitement. He loved being his own boss. He loved being a captain." The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England said in a statement on 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.' Following the update in the case, the sector wrote, "The FV SEAHORSE and all individuals onboard have been located. Thank you for the search efforts from both the community and partner agencies within the Cape Cod Mutual Response System that assisted with the search. We are deeply moved by the efforts of recreational boaters and the Fishing Partnership." "Our hearts go out to the families of the individuals onboard," they added. Read the original article on People
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Remains of couple who went missing off Cape Cod found after crews locate their missing fishing boat
The bodies of two people have been discovered aboard a sunken fishing boat off the coast of Eastham in Cape Cod, the Coast Guard said Wednesday. Captain of the F/V Seahorse, Shawn Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend, Felicia Daley, 54, set sail out of Rock Harbor in Orleans on Sunday for a clamming trip, Arsenault's brother, Paul, told NBC10 Boston. The couple was fishing near the Target Ship Wreck off Eastham in Cape Cod Bay and a cellphone ping last located their boat about two miles off the coast of Chatham. Their boat had not returned to dock as expected by Tuesday morning, prompting a search by the Coast Guard. Paul Arsenault said the couple had only been dating a few months and were 'crazy about each other.' Officials said Shawn Arsenault was seen throwing electronic items overboard just after leaving Orleans, including a GPS that was found on the beach. Paul Arsenault told NBC10 Boston about his brother, "He was very excited about his new equipment, he installed it, left Sunday morning, and he said that he wasn't coming back till he had his 30-bag limit, and that's the last I heard of him.' Aerial video showed the sunken boat near Saints Landing in Brewster. The Coast Guard said Arsenault had been remodeling the white boat that had a mermaid on the bow and 'Seahorse' painted on the stern. 'Our hearts go out to the families of both persons onboard," Commander Cliff Graham, a search and rescue mission coordinator for the case, said in a statement. "The level of support from our maritime response partners and members from the fishing and local community was remarkable. It directly contributed to detection of the vessel and closure for the family." The Coast Guard is asking anyone with information to contact the Sector Southeastern New England command center.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Both great people': Friends grapple with discovery of sunken boat, two bodies found in Cape Cod Bay
Friends of a Cape Cod couple are grappling with the news of two bodies found and a sunken boat located on the ocean floor. Shawn Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend, Felicia Daley, 54, left Rock Harbor in Orleans Sunday to go clamming in a 30-foot vessel called 'Seahorse'. The harbormaster noticed Arsenault's truck still in the parking lot on Tuesday morning, and an intensive search began. A recreational vessel dragging its fishing gear spotted the wreckage Wednesday afternoon two miles off the coast of Brewster. Authorities brought the remains of two people to shore in Dennis hours later. 'They were both great people,' said friend Patrick McLaughlin. 'He was a loud character with his jokes, and she would do anything to help you out.' Authorities had not formally identified the bodies found as of Wednesday night. However, friends said they didn't need official confirmation to grasp the tragic outcome. 'They were just going out to make a few dollars. The ocean said, no, not today,' said friend Scott Amerault. Amerault told Boston 25 News Daley held a special place in his heart ever since they went to Nauset Regional High School together. 'She will always be remembered,' he said. 'Heart of gold but salty as hell.' Witnesses on land told the Coast Guard they potentially saw items, including a GPS, being thrown overboard before the boat went missing. Those accounts are adding to speculation about what happened. 'We like to stress that mariners file voyage plans with loved ones so somebody knows where you're going and how long you're going to be out for,' said Lt. Quinn LeCain with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector SE New England. State and federal agencies are now working together to figure out how to handle the underwater wreck. They're looking into factors like how much fuel is on board and whether there's a threat to the environment. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Officials investigate after 2 bodies found with missing boat Seahorse off Cape Cod
The Seahorse is captained by Shawn Arsenault, the Officials did not identify the two people whose bodies were recovered. They said next of kin were notified. 'Our hearts go out to the families of both persons onboard,' Commander Cliff Graham, search and rescue mission coordinator for the case, said in a statement. Advertisement 'The level of support from our maritime response partners and members from the fishing and local community was remarkable,' Graham's statement said. 'It directly contributed to detection of the vessel and closure for the family.' A recreational fisherman spotted the 30-foot white-hulled vessel while trolling near the search area, according to the statement. A Coast Guard cutter named William Sparling, which had been searching overnight, arrived at the scene within 30 minutes, and divers from Massachusetts Environmental Police and State Police identified the boat. The office of Cape and Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois is investigating. 'This matter remains under active investigation,' community outreach coordinator Katie Green told the Globe on Wednesday. She said the district attorney's office could not comment further. Advertisement Seahorse was two days overdue from a fishing trip in Cape Cod Bay when the search began Tuesday morning. The harbormaster in Orleans initiated the search. The boat was last believed to be two miles off Chatham, where it was placed by a cell phone ping, according to a social media post by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England. Seahorse has a gold mermaid figure on the bow, and 'SEAHORSE' painted on the stern in rough lettering, officials said. The Seahorse was docked in Orleans harbor last week, according to kayaker Daniel Moniz, who said in an email he noted the boat's distinctive mermaid. The vessel was known to fish in the area near Billingsgate Shoals, and usually returned the same day, according to the Coast Guard's statement. The harbormaster in Orleans became concerned after seeing the owner's truck at the marina two days later, the statement said. The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast Tuesday morning to notify the public of the emergency, and launched Stations Chatham, Cape Cod Canal, and Provincetown to search the fishing area within Cape Cod Bay, the statement said. Search efforts also focused on the location of the last known cell phone ping from the owner's phone, two miles offshore from Chatham, officials said. On Wednesday, a Coast Guard plane and a State Police helicopter joined the search effort. Prior Globe reporting contributed to this report. Claire Thornton can be reached at
