ROCKLAND, Maine — Rockland community members spoke with NEWS CENTER Maine after a schooner incident that left 3 hospitalized and 1 dead on Monday.
There has been no official word on the status of the three hospitalized victims. Dr. Emily Mecklenburg of Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital was pronounced dead after a mast snapped and toppled onto the deck of a historic sailing vessel Grace Bailey.
"They're really well maintained but they're old," David Allen said. Allen is the previous owner of J&E Riggin, another schooner that was not involved in the incident.
"They're inspected on a regular basis by the Coast Guard, oftentimes having them take a plank off or something to see what the framing is like," Allen said.
Allen also noted that beyond Coast Guard oversight, local schooner operators prioritize safety.
"When I was in the association, it was a lot of back and forth about making sure everybody was keeping things good and safe," Allen said.
Rockland Harbormaster Molly Eddy told NEWS CENTER Maine of the historical significance schooners like the Grace Bailey hold for Maine.
"They're an economic driver but more than that we are more proud to host our living history," Eddy said.
Connie Sawyer, the owner of Seagull Cottage, also spoke with NEWS CENTER Maine. She highlighted the positive impacts that schooners have on surrounding businesses.
"I would say that it draws a lot of people in year after year. I think people come back, they've been on trips before. They come back again, and it's a great impact for us as store owners and for the community," Sawyer said. "They love it. They come back and they always say we can't buy anything now and will be back. When they come back and we talk about it, they love it."
The investigation into the incident involving the Grace Bailey is still pending.