Seven years after a commercial fishing boat vanished off Rhode Island’s coast with three men aboard, the wreck has been discovered 92 feet underwater with human remains believed to belong to one of two fishermen who perished in the tragedy.

Discovery Brings Hope for Closure

The F/V Mistress, a 52-foot commercial fishing vessel, sent a distress call just after midnight on New Year’s Day 2019. Captain Oscar Diaz, his son Tim, and his nephew John Ansay were battling rough weather near Block Island when the ship began taking on water. A nearby fishing boat responded and rescued Tim Diaz, but his father and cousin disappeared. Despite Coast Guard search efforts covering over 2,150 nautical miles, neither the men nor the vessel were found.

Green Oceans, a nonprofit dedicated to ocean protection, sponsored an investigation to locate the wreck site. In July, sonar equipment identified a potential site. Divers explored the location on August 30 and documented numerous features matching the F/V Mistress. The discovery included human remains, though further analysis is required for final confirmation of both the ship’s identity and the deceased.

Questions About Search Efforts Surface

Green Oceans has requested the U.S. Department of the Interior launch an interagency investigation, including reopening the Coast Guard’s inquiry. The organization cited Coast Guard records indicating that high winds, limited visibility, and proximity to wind turbines forced a rescue helicopter to turn back during the original search. The group asked federal authorities to investigate the search response and provide transparency regarding all maintenance and monitoring at nearby turbines since the incident occurred.

Federal approvals for the offshore wind farm near the wreck site described the facility’s impact on navigation safety as minimal. Dozens of studies examining the wind farm’s effects on wildlife and sea traffic have concluded the installation poses no significant dangers to vessels or marine life in the area.

Families Await Answers

Michael Lombardi, president of Green Oceans, emphasized the importance of providing closure for the victims’ families. The organization has submitted evidence to federal authorities and requested immediate securing of the wreck site for proper forensic analysis. The discovery represents a significant development in a case that has remained unsolved for seven years, potentially offering families long-awaited answers about what happened to their loved ones that New Year’s morning when three fishermen set out and only one returned.