According to the Westerly Sun, a commercial fisherman died after his 25-foot vessel was involved in a collision with a yacht near the Watch Hill Lighthouse, off the coast of Rhode Island.

The accident took place on September 22. Friends of the victim, 81, reported that he was a longtime commercial rod-and-reel fisherman who sold his catch at Stonington Town Dock, where he sometimes filled in as a dockmaster.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the accident, which occurred at around 10:18 a.m., along with nearby boaters who witnessed the collision. According to a press release, a 60-foot Princess-yacht rammed the victim’s boat, causing it to capsize.

First-responders were able to pull the victim’s body from the water, although he was unresponsive. His body was then transferred to the state medical examiner’s office via ambulance. The Sun reported that conditions on the water were rough at the time of the accident, as there were waves estimated at 4 to 6 feet.

The accident remains under investigation.

Have a Fishing Boat Accident Investigated by Our Nationwide Maritime Attorneys

If your loved one is a commercial fisherman and he or she is killed in a maritime accident, make sure you have the incident investigated. Even if he or she is not affiliated with a commercial fishing company, you may be able to hold a negligent boat operator liable, if his or her reckless actions caused a collision.

Additionally, if your loved one was working for a commercial line at the time of a fatal accident, you may have specific legal rights to pursue compensation under the Jones Act. Talk to our nationwide maritime attorneys about how to best move forward with a claim.

Visit our verdicts and settlement page to read more about how we have successfully litigated on the behalf of commercial fishermen. You can also visit our Facebook or Twitter pages for further maritime law news.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Nationwide Maritime Attorneys