January 4, 1943
The Saint Anne left
here last Sunday forenoon, bound for Cape May to spend the winter dragging out of that
port, and planned to get a trip to take into the southern city. They were caught in the
blow, and were jogging to ride out the storm.The crew of nine were below decks with
exception of (Anthony)
Ciulla and Peter Sutari, of Granite street, and the skipper,
the latter trio being in the pilot house, and Ciulla and Sutari
were on watch.
Capt. Favaloro said that the huge comber
(wave) smashed into the Saint Ann, swamping the 73-foot dragger,
and burying her deck. Sutari was knocked unconscious and fortunately
secured a death-grip on the wheel. The crew were stunned, said the skipper, and suffered
bruises from being slatted about before the dragger came out of it. When they were able to
get onto their feet again, they counted noses, and discovered that Ciulla
was missing. The skipper gave it as his opinion that the comber took Ciulla
out of the pilot house and into the ocean, the fisherman being powerless to help himself.
The heavy sea broke down the pilot house door
and smashed the pilot house windows, carrying the door overboard.Capt. Favaloro said that
when they were able to step onto the deck after the sea had subsided, they were standing
in four feet of water. The crew manned the pumps and were able to prevent further damage.
The skipper had spoken to Ciulla only a minute or so before the dragger
was struck. Efforts to locate his body were unsuccessful |
