A 30-foot center-console fishing boat lost control and crashed into rocks off Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea on Saturday, October 3, 2026, leaving one man dead, another hospitalized in critical condition, and a third missing. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing 37-year-old on Sunday afternoon after multi-agency rescue efforts failed to locate him.
North Shore Regional 911 alerted local responders at approximately 4:30 p.m. Early watchstander reports described the craft maneuvering in slow circles south of Graves Beach with no visible passengers aboard.
Rescuers Pull Three Men and a Dog From the Water
Three men and a dog were aboard the vessel when it encountered trouble. Harbormasters from Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea each recovered a person from the water, while Coast Guard Station Gloucester launched a response crew to intercept the runaway boat. Coast Guard Station Gloucester launched a 29-ft Response Boat-small crew, located the runaway vessel, and recovered a dog from the distressed boat. The dog was found alive, and officials confirmed that the animal has been successfully reunited with its family.
Rescuers found the dog on the bow of the boat, which was subsequently reunited with its family. The older passengers, aged 67 and 65, were pulled from the ocean and rushed to medical care.
The 67-year-old man was transported toward Beverly Hospital and succumbed to his injuries upon arrival. The 65-year-old passenger suffered head injuries and was flown by MedFlight from Masconomo Park to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where he remained in critical condition.
Coast Guard Ends Search After Nearly 24 Hours
Massachusetts Environmental Police began searching the area with side-scan sonar and a dive team. After nearly 24 hours of searching, the Coast Guard officially suspended the active water search on Sunday afternoon.
The decision to suspend a search is never made lightly. Our deepest condolences are with the family and loved ones affected by this tragedy. We are grateful to our local, state, and federal partners who supported the search efforts.
Officials Address Reporters as Investigation Opens
Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Manchester Police Chief Mark McCoy addressed reporters as the investigation unfolded, noting that authorities had not released the identities of those involved pending family notifications. Manchester-by-the-Sea Harbormaster and Massachusetts State Police confirmed that three people had initially been aboard the vessel.
Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said, It just seems a tragedy like this as overwhelming in grief is compounded by what should have been a great day, people doing something that’s enjoyable on a fall day recreationally. It’s just a terrible tragedy all the way around. It’s unimaginable for the families involved.
Agencies participating in the emergency response included Coast Guard Sector Boston, Coast Guard Station Gloucester, Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Salem Harbormaster, Beverly Harbormaster, Marblehead Harbormaster, Gloucester Harbormaster, Manchester-by-the-Sea Harbormaster, Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department, Gloucester Police Department, Northeast Municipal Law Enforcement Council, Beverly Fire Department, Beverly Fire Department dive team, Massachusetts Environmental Police, and Massachusetts State Police.
