The US Coast Guard has determined that the sinking of the Patriot, a 54-foot fishing vessel whose two crewmen died when it went down off the coast of Gloucester in January 2009, was caused by a sudden loss of stability that capsized the boat.
The vessel sank so quickly that the two men on board, Matteo Russo, 36, and his father-in-law, John Orlando, 58, could not retrieve any lifesaving devices, Coast Guard Captain John Healey said last night during a news conference.
He said the Coast Guard would not speculate on what exactly caused the Patriot to lose stability but noted that the men were short one crew member when the boat sank about 14 miles southeast of Gloucester, which may have caused additional problems when the trouble started.
Healey added that the Coast Guard had ruled out a possible fire on board the vessel as well as a collision. The hull was not charred or damaged in any way that would suggest either occurrence, Healey said.
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