ROCKLAND, MAINE: In a tragic accident, on Monday, October 9, a Maine Health doctor Emily Mecklenburg, 40 was killed when the mainmast of a historic schooner snapped and crashed on the deck.
Mecklenburg was declared dead when she was brought ashore, however, the Maine Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta said a cause of death has not yet been determined.
Where did Emily Mecklenburg accident happen?
The schooner Grace Bailey, built in 1882 and partly owned by actor Mark Evan Jackson, was returning from a 4-day cruise with 28 people on board.
It was about a mile east of Rockland Harbor at about 10 am when the top of the rear mast estimated to be about 75 feet high, split and fell, striking several people.
Bailey as per AP was part of Maine's windjammer fleet comprised mostly of large historic sailboats that take tourists on multi-day outings.
The cause of the mast failure is unknown and will be investigated by the Coast Guard.
In the accident, three other people suffered head and back injuries in the incident.
Charlie Weidman, owner of Charlie’s Marine Service, first on the scene told WABI TV, “It is an unforeseen circumstance."
"No one trains to have a giant mast break on a schooner. Everyone acted with professionalism. Everyone was doing the best they could with the gifts that they had.”
Dr Emily Mecklenburg was given CPR
The report stated that a trained emergency medical technician was one of the first responders.
They apparently found Mecklenburg briefly trapped under the fallen mast.
Weidman said that CPR was already being performed on Mecklenburg
The ship, which had 33 people on board, used to be called the Mattie until it was bought by new owners and given a new name: the Grace Bailey.
One of the people who bought it is Marc Evan Jackson, an actor who has appeared on TV shows like 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' 'Parks and Recreation' and 'The Good Place.'
A passenger aboard told the Portland Press Herald, the mast fell "out of nowhere." The Unnamed passenger shared that the winds were not strong and the vessel also didn't make any sharp tacks.
Colleagues heartbroken over Dr Emily Mecklenburg's tragic death
The hospital and medical center said in a statement on Tuesday that they were “heartbroken” to learn of Mecklenburg’s death.
“Emily was a friend to so many and well known for the compassionate care she provided to patients."
Mecklenburg graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 2013 and did her residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Captain of the vessel, Sam Sikkema said, “My crew and I are devastated by this morning’s accident, especially since the safety of our guests is always our biggest priority.
"Most importantly, we are beyond heartbroken that we lost a dear friend.”
Jim Sharp, a former captain of Midcoast schooners with more than 40 years of sailing experience said, I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s unheard of."
Sharp estimated rot in wood and metal as the likely cause for the mast getting split.
The 118-foot, two-masted schooner has 15 cabins with accommodations for 29 passengers.
"The City of Rockland extends our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the victim," the city stated in a news release from the Rockland Fire Department.
