District attorney names Beverly man who died and Hamilton man still missing after boat accident off Manchester
Carl Potter, 67, of Beverly died and James Wolcott, 37, of Hamilton has not been found, the Essex County district attorney said Monday. A third man, 65, is still in the hospital. The Coast Guard suspended its search Sunday.
Trust Check: Checked against public records
Update, Oct. 5, evening: The Essex County district attorney's office on Monday named the man who died, Carl Potter, 67, of Beverly, and the man still missing, James Wolcott, 37, of Hamilton. The Coast Guard suspended its search Sunday, according to a Coast Guard news release and reports by The Boston Globe and WHDH.
Manchester police, fire and harbormaster crews resumed the search Sunday for a man still missing after a fishing boat with three men aboard got into trouble off Singing Beach on Saturday afternoon, the Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department said.
One of the men died, according to reports by NBC Boston, Boston 25 News and WHDH. A second was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital, the department said; NBC Boston reported he was in critical condition.
Sunday's search
The Essex harbormaster, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, State Police, the Beverly Police drone unit and the Coast Guard are helping, the department said in a Sunday update. Police Chief Mark McCoy and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Cavender are running the search from a command post at Reed Park, and Deputy Harbormaster Andrew Vanikiotis is directing the search on the water from the town's public safety boat.
What happened Saturday
The first alert came in through North Shore Regional 911 at 4:13 p.m., according to the department. Firefighters on Engine 1 responded, and the town's public safety boat was on the water by 4:20 p.m.
Manchester's paramedics took one man to Beverly Hospital. A second was brought by Beauport Ambulance from Tucks Point to Masconomo Park and flown to Mass. General. The third has not been found.
The three men were 67, 65 and 37 years old, and a dog aboard was found alive, NBC Boston and Boston 25 reported. The boat was a 30 foot center console fishing boat, NBC Boston reported. Gloucester, Essex and Hamilton firefighters, the Beverly Fire Department dive team and Essex police also helped Saturday, the department said.
The man who died was Carl Potter, 67, of Beverly, and the man still missing is James Wolcott, 37, of Hamilton, the Essex County district attorney's office said Monday. The 65 year old man is still in the hospital; the district attorney's office did not release his name. The incident remains under investigation, the office said.
Officials have not said what caused the boat to take on water.
Cape Ann Current will update this story as officials release more information.
Update, Oct. 5, evening: Added the names released by the Essex County district attorney's office and the headline now reflects them.
Update, Oct. 5, 5:10 a.m.: The Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing man on Sunday, according to a Coast Guard news release and reports by The Boston Globe and WHDH. The headline now reflects the suspended search.
Update, Oct. 4, 1:15 p.m.: Added the fire department's Sunday search update and its account of Saturday's response. The first alert time is now the department's 4:13 p.m., replacing earlier TV reports of shortly before 4:30 p.m.
Sources
- RecordEssex County District Attorney: Deceased and missing men identified following boat incident off Manchester-by-the-Sea, Oct. 5, 2026
- RecordU.S. Coast Guard: Coast Guard suspends search near Manchester-by-the-Sea (news release)
- SourceThe Boston Globe: Coast Guard suspends search for missing man after boat crash off Manchester-by-the-Sea that left 1 dead, Oct. 4, 2026
- RecordManchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department: Manchester emergency responders rescue two boaters; search continues for missing individual, Oct. 4, 2026
- RecordManchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department: Search update, Oct. 4, 2026 (Facebook post, screenshot sent by the editor)
- CreditNBC Boston: Manchester-by-the-Sea boating incident leaves 1 dead, 1 critical, 1 missing, Oct. 3, 2026
- SourceBoston 25 News: One person dead, another missing after a vessel in distress near Manchester by the Sea, Oct. 3, 2026
- SourceBoston 25 News: Authorities identify man killed, missing boater after Manchester-by-the-Sea accident, Oct. 5, 2026
- SourceWHDH 7News: Coast Guard assisting with search for missing boater off Manchester-by-the-Sea, Oct. 3, 2026
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