The bodies of Shawn Arsenault, 64, and his girlfriend Felicia Daley, 54, were found Wednesday, June 11, inside their sunken fishing boat off Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, following a three-day search by the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities.
The couple departed Rock Harbor in Orleans, Massachusetts, on Sunday, June 8, aboard their 30-foot white-hulled vessel, the F/V Seahorse, with plans to go clamming near the Target Ship Wreck off Eastham in Cape Cod Bay. The boat featured a painted mermaid on the bow and “Seahorse” painted on the stern.
Arsenault’s brother, Paul Arsenault, told authorities that Shawn had indicated he would not return until he had caught his 30-bag limit of clams. When the boat failed to return as expected, the Orleans harbormaster reported it missing Tuesday morning after noticing Arsenault’s white Ford pickup truck remained parked at the marina two days after the boat’s departure.
The Coast Guard launched an extensive search operation Tuesday morning, issuing an urgent marine information broadcast and deploying multiple vessels to search Cape Cod Bay. Search crews initially focused on an area approximately two miles offshore of Chatham, based on a cellphone ping from the missing vessel.
A recreational fisherman discovered the sunken Seahorse around 2 p.m. Wednesday near Brewster beaches, approximately five miles from where the boat was last seen. The Coast Guard Cutter William Sparling arrived at the scene within 30 minutes of the discovery. Divers from the Massachusetts Environmental Police and Massachusetts State Police located the two bodies inside the boat’s wheelhouse in approximately 25 feet of water.
According to Paul Arsenault, the victims were found without life jackets and had not made a distress call. He speculated that his brother’s boat may have become entangled with underwater wreckage, causing the incident to happen so quickly that the couple could not contact emergency services.
The Coast Guard confirmed receiving reports from witnesses who observed Arsenault throwing electronic equipment overboard shortly after leaving the harbor Sunday morning. Coast Guard Commander Cliff Graham stated the agency could not confirm what specific equipment was discarded. A GPS unit bearing the name “F/V Seahorse” was later found washed ashore by beachwalkers Sam Miller and her father, who initially left it with a note on Arsenault’s truck before contacting authorities when the vehicle remained untouched.
Paul Arsenault expressed skepticism about the reports of discarded equipment, indicating he could not imagine his brother throwing anything overboard because all the equipment meant a great deal to him. He explained that Shawn had recently installed new radar and fish finder equipment and was excited about using it on the trip.
The fishing boat captain had spent six years saving money to purchase the Seahorse, which Paul Arsenault described as his brother’s dream. Sunday’s clamming expedition marked only the third time Shawn had taken his own boat out on the water. Owning the vessel represented the culmination of decades of working on other people’s boats throughout his fishing career.
Orleans Harbormaster Nathan Sears explained that quahog draggers like the Seahorse pull large steel cages behind their boats while fishing. He noted that if such vessels become entangled on the ocean bottom, particularly while fishing in darkness, they can quickly roll over and sink.
Weather conditions were not considered a factor in the boat’s disappearance, though fog and thunderstorms hampered initial search efforts. The Coast Guard had issued a small craft advisory during the search period due to poor visibility conditions.
Arsenault and Daley had been dating for several months and were both described as experienced on boats. Friends and family members characterized them as being devoted to each other. Paul Arsenault praised his brother’s generous nature, noting that Shawn regularly cooked dinner for an elderly neighbor with Parkinson’s disease.
The fishing captain was remembered by his brother as someone who had worked on boats throughout his life, from New Bedford to Provincetown. Paul Arsenault stated that his brother “just loved being on the water” and enjoyed the independence of being his own boss as a captain.
The Coast Guard has begun an investigation to determine the specific circumstances that led to the vessel’s sinking. Commander Graham acknowledged the extensive support from maritime response partners and the local fishing community in locating the missing boat and providing closure for the families.
The Coast Guard is requesting anyone with additional information about the incident to contact the Sector Southeastern New England command center at 866-819-9128 as the investigation continues.
Sources:
https://people.com/captain-girlfriend-dead-fishing-boat-missing-11754113
https://www.wcvb.com/article/coast-guard-search-missing-fishing-boat-off-cape-cod-coast/65031732
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/fishing-boat-seahorse-missing-cape-cod-gps-found/
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/missing-cape-cod-fishing-boat-seahorse-found-underwater/
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/12/metro/couple-found-dead-in-cape-cod-fishing-boat/
