December 7, 2017 — With the search called off for the two missing fishermen from the sunken Misty Blue, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell says the city and its residents will do all it can to offer solace to the families.
“We will do everything we can to support the families through this,” Mitchell said. “It’s going to be hard, but there are other families who have experienced it who can certainly offer a shoulder to them.”
Mitchell made the comments during his weekly appearance on WBSM, although he was calling in from Washington, DC. The mayor was in the nation’s capital to speak with officials about issues that directly affect the fishing industry in New Bedford.
The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for 44-year-old Michael Roberts of Fairhaven and 32-year-old Jonathan Saraiva of New Bedford Tuesday evening, after rescue efforts had failed to locate them following the Misty Blue’s sinking Monday evening.
“It’s unfortunate we need these kind of reminders of just how dangerous commercial fishing is,” Mitchell said. “It’s the most dangerous profession out there, and there are way too many families in greater New Bedford who have experienced what these families are experiencing today, and it’s an awful thing.”
The Fishermen’s Tribute Monument at Pier 3 has acted as a de facto gathering place in the past for families affected by fishing tragedies, something Mayor Mitchell knows personally.