FRIENDSHIP, Maine — Local law enforcement agencies are investigating the intentional sinking of two lobster boats Monday night.
The two vessels were cut from their moorings in Friendship Harbor sometime during the night and then their intake valves were cut which allowed water to fill the boats, said Maine Marine Patrol Sgt. Rene Cloutier.
The tide was going out and took the boats outside the harbor, he said.
One of the boats was found washed up on Walker’s Beach in Friendship, and the other was found washed up on Ram Island.
Cloutier said the U.S. Coast Guard and Knox County Sheriff’s Office are working with Maine Marine Patrol to find out who committed the crimes.
One boat is owned by Gary Jones and the other by his son Logan Jones, both of Cushing. Cloutier said he did not know the estimated value of the boats or whether they were insured.
There have been other instances of vandalism of lobster boats in Friendship during the past six to eight months, Cloutier said, but none to the extent of Monday night’s incident.
There are no suspects yet and he said there is no motive determined for the sinkings. He said there is no evidence that this involves a territorial dispute similar to what occurred in August 2009 when two boats were sunk in Owls Head Harbor.
No one was ever charged in that case.