PICTURED: Maine doctor Emily Mecklenburg who was crushed to death when mast of 150-year-old ‘Maine windjammer’ schooner Grace Bailey SNAPPED during high winds
A Maine doctor who was crushed to death when a sailboat’s mast broke is pictured for the first time.
Dr. Emily Mecklenburg (40) died after suffering a severe head injury while on board Grace Bailey – a 150-year-old schooner.
The windjammer was returning from a four-day cruise with 33 people on board when one of its masts broke, hitting Mecklenburg and three others.
A motorized lifeboat raced Mecklenburg to an awaiting emergency medical crew on shore, where she was pronounced dead.
Mecklenburg, who worked at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, has since been remembered as a ‘well-known’ and ‘beloved’ community member.
She specialized in internal medicine, according to MaineHealth’s website. A spokeswoman said her colleagues were ‘heartbroken’, the Boston Globe reported.
“Emily was a friend to so many and known for the compassionate care she provided to patients,” MaineHealth said.
Dr. Emily Mecklenburg suffered a serious head injury when the mast broke
The Grace Bailey was returning from a four-day cruise when the incident occurred
Grace Bailey co-owns Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Marc Evan Jackson, Captain Sam Sikkema and Mainer Suzannah Smith
‘Along with our community, we mourn Emily’s loss and send our thoughts and prayers to her family.’
Three other passengers also needed medical attention, including a woman who had serious spinal injuries.
They were assisted by Charlie Weidman, 57, the owner of a boat towing business, who was on his way to retrieve a vessel that had broken down off the coast of Rockland when he heard a Mayday sound.
He responded to hear Sam Sikkema, Grace Bailey’s captain, tell him the boat’s mast had snapped during strong winds.
Weidman was first on the scene at 10:26 a.m., shortly after the initial Mayday and found CPR being performed on one victim.
“People were working beyond their means, but they were doing well,” Wiedman said.
‘Everyone was trying to help the situation. It was almost a hive of bees. Everyone is buzzing around, but it’s not bad. They just work.’
A nearby Coast Guard responded and began evacuating the injured passengers within minutes of the mast’s catastrophic failure and collapse onto the deck.
The Grace Bailey co-owns Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Marc Evan Jackson, as well as Captain Sikkema and Mainer Suzannah Smith.
After the mast broke early in the morning on October 9, officials on board quickly called the New England Command Center for help
Mecklenburg suffered a major head injury and was taken by motorized lifeboat to an emergency medical service on shore, but was pronounced dead at the scene
“My crew and I are devastated by this morning’s accident, especially since the safety of our guests is always our highest priority,” Captain Sikkema told the Associated Press.
“Most importantly, we are very saddened to have lost a dear friend.”
Weidman towed the schooner to Rockland Harbor. The operators said they had no idea why the mast failed. The Coast Guard will conduct a full investigation into the incident.
Weidman said Sikkema was going to take it ‘harder than anyone other than the poor woman’s family’.
‘He just takes things to heart. He wants absolutely nothing but the best and he doesn’t cut corners,” he added.
Captain Amy Florentino, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, said the incident was a tragedy.
“At this time of grief, we offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved family, and our sincere wishes for a speedy recovery to those who have been harmed,” she said.
“Our investigation aims to identify causal factors that led to this tragic incident.”
The Grace Bailey’s overall length is 118 feet (36m) and can carry 29 passengers, according to its official website.
It was built in November 1882 by Oliver Perry Smith at his boatyard on the Patchogue River, in Patchogue, New York.
The Grace Bailey’s overall length is 118 feet (36 meters) and it can carry 29 passengers, according to its official website
The Grace Bailey was built in November 1882 by Oliver Perry Smith at his boatyard on the Patchogue River in Patchogue, New York.
The early deck plan included two cargo hatches between the masts and one between the mainmast and the aft deckhouse. The main topmast was removed when the freighter became a cruise ship
Currently a major tourist attraction in Maine, the Grace Bailey was originally built to serve the needs of the E. Bailey and Sons Lumber Company by transporting lumber from southern ports to Patchogue.
The early deck plan included two cargo hatches between the masts and one between the mainmast and the aft deckhouse. The main topmast was removed when the freighter became a cruise ship.
In 1940 the Grace Bailey, formerly known as MATTIE, was purchased by Captain Frank Swift of Camden who used her as a passenger schooner.
Under Swift, the schooner became a favorite with passengers and crew. The ship took a brief hiatus from her windjammer career in 1942 when she performed her wartime service as the first training vessel for the Maine Maritime Academy.
After returning to the windjammer business, the schooner outlived all the earlier vessels in its fleet. She served longer and carried more passengers than any other windjammer in history.