newjerseynewsroom.com

Investigators questioning crew, inspecting ship in Houston

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The Coast Guard is investigating the role, if any, of a commercial ship in the capsizing of the fishing vessel Mandy Ness that claimed the life of its captain off the coast of New Jersey late in the evening of Jan. 10.

Coast Guard investigators Thursday said they have determined that another vessel, described only as a commercial vessel and not identified, was the area of the Atlantic Ocean 10 miles east of Barnegat at the time of the capsizing. The investigators planned to interview the crew at anchorage near Houston Thursday and conduct a dockside inspection of the ship upon its arrival in port later in the day.

John Mears of Barnegat Light, the captain of the 44-foot Mandy Ness, a scalloper and monkfish boat, died in the capsizing. A crewman was rescued.

On Jan. 11, Coast Guard investigators from Hampton Roads, Va. boarded the vessel off the coast of Virginia with the assistance of a Coast Guard helicopter from Elizabeth City, N.C. and the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca to begin gathering information.

“The information we obtained from the January 11th boarding led us to believe that the vessel was in the vicinity of the Mandy Ness at the time of the capsizing,” Capt. Meredith Austin, commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, said. “Based on that information, Coast Guard investigators will board the vessel again in Houston and interview members of the crew. We will continue to actively investigate the incident to allow us to provide information to the family and friends of Mr. Mears who was lost in the accident and to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.”

The Coast Guard declined to identify the commercial vessel, citing the ongoing investigation.

The Mandy Ness sailed from the Mears’ family-owned Lighthouse Marina in Barnegat Light.

The unidentified crewman who was rescued, was plucked from the water by the 72-foot fishing vessel Francis Anne, captained by Mears’ brother, Rick Mears, after the crew heard a Coast Guard call for assistance. The Francis Anne also is out of Barnegat Light.

Coast Guard watchstanders received the emergency position indicating radio beacon notification at 11:15 p.m. on Jan. 10 from the Mandy Ness. The Coast Guard then launched a helicopter from Pomona and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Barnegat Light Station. The helicopter arrived on scene, deployed a rescue swimmer and medevaced John Mears from the water.

Daniel Mears, another brother of John Mears, is the captain of the Monica, a commercial fishing boat out of Barnegat Light.