On January 1, 2019, 31-year-old John Ansay of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, went missing after the fishing vessel he was a crewmember of, the F/V MISTRESS, sank. The vessel, which was based out of Point Judith, Rhode Island, reportedly went down approximately 3 nautical miles off of Block Island. Ansay was one of two crew members who were lost at sea; the other was his uncle, Oscar Diaz, who was the captain and owner of the vessel. A third crewman, Tim Diaz, was rescued.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. At approximately 1:30 a.m., the captain of the MISTRESS issued a mayday call, stating that the 52-foot trawler was taking on water near the Block Island Wind Farm. The vessel was reportedly heading to port with a catch of 7,000 to 8,000 pounds of scup ahead of a gale that had arrived earlier than predicted. The weather conditions at the time were rough, with 10-foot waves and winds of 30 to 35 knots. The nearby fishing vessel, the F/V CAPTAIN BLIGH, responded to the distress call and rescued Tim Diaz from a life raft. The crew of the CAPTAIN BLIGH reported that the MISTRESS had capsized. According to the rescued fisherman, all three crew members had donned survival suits and jumped overboard as the boat started to list, but they became separated in the water.
Following the sinking, the U.S. Coast Guard launched an extensive search and rescue operation for John Ansay and Oscar Diaz. The search involved multiple assets, including the 110-foot Coast Guard Cutters Sanibel, Steelhead, and Escanaba, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, and response boats from Station Point Judith and Station Menemsha. Local agencies and good Samaritans also participated in the search efforts. Over a period of nearly 72 hours, the search covered more than 2,152 square nautical miles. Despite the comprehensive search, neither John Ansay nor Oscar Diaz were found. The Coast Guard suspended the search on the evening of January 2, 2019, after search efforts extended beyond the survivability models for the winter sea conditions. The case remains open, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service in Boston is the lead investigating agency.Last Seen: Jan 1, 2019
