UPDATED: Victim in Boating Accident Was Wife of Boat Owner

The woman who died in a boating accident Sunday near Fishers Island was the wife of the boat’s owner, the U.S. Coast Guard reported today.

Lt. Jeff Janaro, of the Coast Guard, said rescuers found the woman’s body around 7:30 a.m. on Monday. The woman was identified as Mary Patenaude, Lanaro said. He did not provide her age or address but sources said she was from Pomfret, Connecticut. 

“It’s obviously a tragedy,” he said.

The 50-foot boat called the coast guard at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, saying it had struck rocks and was sinking about a quarter mile north of Fishers Island, Janaro said.

Ten people and a dog were on board, and a nearby passing boat called the “Salty Dog” rescued nine people and the dog. Patenaude was declared missing and a search began.

Janaro said he does not know where the boat was traveling to and from, or the weight and person limits on the boat. But he said ten passengers would be considered reasonable.

“There is no indication that the boat had too many people on it,” he said, adding, “For a 50-foot pleasure craft, 10 is not uncommon; it doesn’t raise any red flag.” The boat is registered in Westerly, R.I.

Janaro said the boat remains on the floor and is intact, meaning it did not split in half. He did not know the extent of damage to the vessel is unknown, he said.

The boat may be recovered or left in may be left alone, Janaro said. The decision depends on many factors including potential disruption to the environment and whether the boat is a navigation hazard. A decision will be made within a few days, he said.

New York State Police are investigating the accident.

Original story

The body of a woman missing after a boat sank on Sunday near Fishers Island has been found.

Lt. Jeff Janaro of the U.S.C.G said rescuers found the woman’s body around 7:30 a.m. on Monday. The body has not been identified, but the CT Post is reporting the missing woman was Mary Patenaude of Pomfret, Connecticut. A local law enforcement official, speaking on the condition of anonymity has also confirmed to Patch.com that the missing woman was Mary Patenaude.

The spent approximately six hours searching for the woman yesterday before having to call off the search due to tide and current conditions.

Janaro, said between 2:30 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, a privately owned boat that had 10 people and a dog on board struck rocks and overturned in 42 feet of water about two miles south of Noank and quarter-mile north of Fishers Island.

The U.S.C.G., , Westerly Fire Dive Team, , and L&M Medics responded to the scene. Emergency personnel along with boaters in the area at the time of the accident, rescued nine people and the dog from the water and took them by boat to the where ambulances waited. Janaro said the nine passengers are in good health.

The boat is registered to a David Patenaude of Pomfret, Connecticut.

According to The Westerly Sun the New York State Police will be in charge of the investigation.

Check with Patch for updates.