A doctor aboard a 150-year-old schooner was killed Monday morning when the vessel’s mainmast shattered under sail and collapsed into the deck off the coast of Maine.
The Grace Bailey, a 118 foot “windjammer” that operates tours in the waters off Maine, was returning from a four-day voyage with 33 people onboard when the mast broke, its owner said in a statement.
A towing service rushed to the scene about a mile out from the Rockland harbor, and arrived to find people performing CPR on one victim.
Emily Mecklenburg, 40, a doctor from Rockland, was later declared dead, while three others were rushed to the hospital with head, spine, and crush injuries.
An emergency responder said they saw somebody trapped beneath the fallen mast.
“It is an unforeseen circumstance,” said Charlie Weidman, owner of Charlie’s Marine Service and the first person to reach the schooner after the accident.
“No one trains to have a giant mast break on a schooner. Everyone acted with professionalism. Everyone was doing the best they could with the gifts that they had.”
Weidman towed the boat into Rockland Harbor, where one of the victims was airlifted out.
The Coast Guard is investigating what caused the break. Officials noted conditions were calm and not windy when the accident happened.
“We want to make sure the investigation is being done thoroughly and that the necessary boxes are being checked,” Coast Guard Ensign Matthew Bartnick said Tuesday.
Though the Grace Bailey was built in 1882, like numerous other tall ships that operate off the coast of New England it had been refurbished many times over the years.
Almost all the planks of wood have been replaced during the boat’s lifetime, and the mast which snapped was not the original, a spokesperson for the boat, Nicole Jacques, said.
The vessel’s owners also said they had no idea why the mast broke.
“My crew and I are devastated by this morning’s accident, especially since the safety of our guests is always our biggest priority,” said the vessel’s captain, Sam Sikkema.
“Most importantly, we are beyond heartbroken that we lost a dear friend.”
Dr. Mecklenburg worked for the MaineHealth system, primarily out of the Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockland.
With Post wires