The body of one of two scallop fishermen whose boat sunk last month was recovered by divers on Sunday.
A team of highly skilled volunteer divers found and removed the body from inside the cabin of the 34-foot fishing vessel “Sudden Impact” around 7 a.m. Sunday, according to the Department of Marine Resources. The body of the second fisherman has not been found.
State officials confirmed Tuesday morning that the medical examiner’s office positively identified the body as Chester “Chet” Barrett. His son Aaron Barrett has not yet been found. The commercial scallop fishermen from South Addison were reported missing Jan. 18 by a family member when they didn’t return from a trip that began at Cobscook Bay State Park in Edmunds around 5 a.m.
Maine Marine Patrol will continue periodic patrols in the area with the goal of locating Aaron Barrett, who was not found on board or near the sunken ship.
“We share our condolences with the family and friends of Chester and Aaron during this difficult time,” Marine Patrol Captain Colin MacDonald said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
The Maine Marine Patrol, local fishermen and the Maine State Police/Marine Patrol Underwater Recovery Dive Team have been working to recover the body since it was first located inside the boat on Jan. 23. The vessel was found Jan. 19 in 160 feet of water about three-quarters of a mile southwest of Moose River in eastern Washington County.
The coastal area where they went missing, between the towns of Cutler and Lubec in Washington County, has “strong tidal current activity,” the marine patrol said. The agency relied on the expertise of four local fishermen to navigate the strong currents and assist in the search.
“Throughout this difficult process, the Barrett family has led the mission to recover Chester and Aaron, supported by numerous local fishermen,” Marine Patrol Capt. Colin MacDonald said in a press release. “The volunteer dive team showed exceptional skill in difficult conditions. Facing air temperatures near zero degrees, extreme tidal currents and limited underwater visibility, the dive team members executed a meticulously planned dive to conduct a thorough search of the vessel.”

The dive team — described by MacDonald as including the best wreck divers in the country — used state-of-the-art equipment to descend 160 feet to the ocean floor.
MacDonald said the effort to recovery the body required technical divers who came from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The team included Chris Ogden, Richard Simon, Bob Foster, Mark Bowers and Harold Moyers with surface support from Eric Simon.
The GoFundMe page supporting Melanie Barrett, Chet’s wife and Aaron’s mother, describes them as adventurous men who loved the water, lobster fishing in South Addison and scallop dragging in Cobscook Bay. The father and son had contagious laughs and always had a story to share around the fire pit at their camp at Schoodic Lake, according to the donation page.
“The outpouring of assistance from the community has been extraordinary, with individuals and businesses offering help in various capacities,” MacDonald said. “This overwhelming support is a testament to the strength, resilience and unity of our coastal communities.”
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