72-year-old dies after 40-foot sailboat breaks apart on rocks, ME officials say

The body of a 72-year-old was found after a 40-foot sailboat broke apart on a shore’s rocks, Maine officials said.

Thomas Kent Smith of Nova Scotia was sailing with Robert Comeau and Sandra Comeau of New Hampshire when their sailboat got stuck in shallow water, according to a June 30 news release by the Department of Marine Resources.

The Comeaus called 911 after they found themselves stranded on the shore near Isle au Haut around 3 a.m., saying their sailboat had broken apart on the rocks, the department.

The group of three had been in the water for over an hour and were wearing life jackets, the department said.

They told officers they found Smith in the water but were able to pull him to shore, where Marine Patrol eventually recovered his body, the group said.

Smith’s body was transported to an Ellsworth funeral home where a medical examiner will perform an autopsy, officials said. The other two were medically evaluated before being released.

This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 9:39 AM with the headline "72-year-old dies after 40-foot sailboat breaks apart on rocks, ME officials say."