NEWSPAPER & ARCHIVE
Harpswell, Me., July 2 -(AP) - The 44-foot motorboat Don was pictured today by State Fisheries Warden JOHN STEVENS as a jinx ship that was "overcrowded" when it exploded and sent 37 men and women picnickers to death Sunday.
Declaring the Don had "sunk three times in the past decade" only to be raised, STEVENS told newsmen the craft was "topheavy" and that it carried 150 gallons of gasoline, some in cans on deck, when it set out of its last voyage to Monhegan Island, 20 miles away.
He added that is was inadequately equipped with life preservers for the party of Rumford and Mexico, Me., residents.
None of the first nine recovered bodies - two men and seven women - bore life preservers when they were picked up yesterday in the waters along the shores of Casco Bay. Two other bodies were held aboard fog-bound search craft overnight.
With every indication that there were no survivors of the trip that started so gaily, the disaster took the highest toll of life in New England waters since 47 perished in the Mackinac tragedy in Narragansett Bay, R. I., 16 years ago.
Comments & Corrections