Full Breakdown
Discovery of F/V Mistress Wreck Near Block Island Wind Farm Prompts Calls for Federal Review
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Wreck Identified Near Offshore Turbine
A multidisciplinary search led by the nonprofit Green Oceans located a shipwreck that matches the description of the commercial fishing vessel F/V Mistress, which sank on January 1 2019 off Block Island, Rhode Island. Side-scan sonar on July 27 2026 revealed a debris field 92 feet underwater, and scientific divers inspected the site on August 30 2026. The wreck lies about 50 feet from turbine #1 of the Block Island Wind Farm, the United States’ first offshore wind facility, operational since 2016.
Background & Context
The 52-foot F/V Mistress departed with Captain Oscar Diaz, his son Tim Diaz, and nephew John Ansay. After a distress call shortly after midnight, rough weather forced the vessel to take on water. Tim Diaz was rescued; Oscar Diaz and John Ansay were never recovered. The Coast Guard’s multi-agency search covered more than 2,150 nautical miles, but the hull remained missing and the investigation was closed without a definitive cause. Records note that a rescue helicopter aborted after about 37 minutes due to high winds, limited visibility, a low ceiling, and proximity to the turbines.
Timeline
- January 1 2019 – F/V Mistress sinks; three crew aboard.
- 2019 – Coast Guard closes marine-casualty investigation.
- July 27 2026 – Side-scan sonar identifies a wreck site near Block Island.
- August 30 2026 – Divers document vessel features consistent with the F/V Mistress.
- September 23 2026 – Green Oceans announces the discovery and requests federal action.
Data & Statistics
- Crew: 3 (Captain Oscar Diaz, Tim Diaz, John Ansay).
- Wreck depth: ~92 feet.
- Distance from turbine #1: ~50 feet.
- Turbine height: 600 feet; power capacity for ~17,000 homes.
Official Statements & Responses
Green Oceans has submitted sonar imagery, underwater photographs, and related documentation to the Coast Guard, the NTSB, Rhode Island officials, and the Department of the Interior. The organization asked the Interior Department to coordinate an interagency review, secure the wreck site for forensic analysis, and pause nearby turbine maintenance until the evidence is evaluated. Federal approvals for offshore wind projects continue to cite minimal navigation-safety impacts, despite the new proximity evidence.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Earlier media accounts placed the presumed wreck several miles east of the wind farm, whereas Green Oceans’ sonar and diver evidence locate it within 50 feet of turbine #1. Official identification of the wreck remains pending, and the cause of the 2019 sinking has not been conclusively determined.
What’s Next
Green Oceans has requested that the Interior Department lead an interagency investigation, reopen the Coast Guard marine-casualty inquiry, and suspend turbine-related operations pending forensic analysis. The organization also seeks public transparency for subsea maintenance and monitoring activities at the site.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We hope this discovery provides answers and some measure of closure for the fishermen's families,” — Michael Lombardi, president
- “What is ‘minimal’ about the loss of two men’s lives and the consequences for the families they left behind?” — President Michael Lombardi