NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The heartbroken siblings of a fisherman who died when the boat he was on capsized Thursday shared their memories of their brother while hoping for answers.
Makayla and Jose Nieves told Boston 25 News their oldest brother, Angel Nieves, was one of the two fishermen who were lost at sea while scallop fishing off Provincetown on the Yankee Rose, a fishing vessel out of New Bedford.
“It’s like a piece of us is gone,” Makayla said. “Every time he would go out, he’d make sure that he would call all of us and let us know he loved us and he was going out. And there was always a risk that he may not come back.”
Angel, a 37-year-old father of four and fiancé, had turned his lifelong love of fishing and boating into a career as a commercial fisherman, his siblings said.
“My dad took us fishing every weekend since I could remember,” Makayla said. “We were always on the water.”
Hours after Angel shared video on his Facebook page of the serene early-morning waters, the Coast Guard would recover the overturned boat.
First responders recovered one body within minutes and, after 21 hours, suspended their search Friday afternoon.
Officials have not released the identity of the other fisherman.
“It came [as] a shock to us, because it’s like, what went wrong?” Jose said. “It was calm out there. That’s why we’re waiting to find [out].”
The tragedy came one week after Angel and another on board were found unresponsive from carbon monoxide exposure on the very same boat. They were hospitalized and recovered, along with six first responders.
“He was happy to go back on a fishing trip,” Makayla said. “He’s like, ‘I skipped death, and I’m going back out.’”
As the tight-knit fishing community grieves Thursday’s loss, a recent tragedy off the coast of Gloucester remains fresh in their memories.
Six fishermen and an observer perished when the Lily Jean sank in January. Angel had discussed the Gloucester tragedy with his family.
As the Nieves family grieves, they are comforted by their faith that Angel has joined his father, who died of cancer a year and a half ago.
“He’s home. He’s with his dad,” Makayla said. “I know my dad was there to greet him.”
To support Angel’s family, you can donate at the following link: https://gofund.me/4c2a08574.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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