Boat whose captain was lost had life vests

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Contrary to a statement by a family spokesman, a New Hampshire television station reported Monday the sailboat whose captain was lost in the Atlantic did have a life vest aboard.

Stephen Woods, 55, was swept overboard, but his son Asher Woods, 20, survived. They were reported missing on Oct. 17 after setting sail Oct. 15 from Rockland, Maine, to Rye. Both lived in Stratham.

Thomas Gage, Stephen Woods’ law partner, said at a news conference Friday there were no life jackets on board and they may have been stolen.

WMUR-TV broadcast video taken by a crew member of the Amy Philbrick that rescued Asher Woods. It showed him wearing a life vest as he was being towed by a life ring from the 41-foot Niomi to the fishing boat.

Asher Woods was in the Niomi when it was found Thursday adrift about 130 miles east of Provincetown, Mass. He told rescuers his father fell overboard the night they set sail from Maine, and he was not wearing a life jacket.

A telephone call to the Coast Guard seeking comment was not returned immediately Monday night.

Last week, the Coast Guard said it had no plans to investigate further and had stopped searching for the elder Woods.

Gage said Friday the boat usually was stocked with foul weather gear, including life jackets, and that his law partner was an experienced sailor, and his wife, who was very cautious, insisted on the gear, but the items were missing when father and son left on the 135-mile trip.

“We think that they were pilfered,” Gage said.

On Monday, Gage told WMUR-TV: “My partner’s life jacket that he wanted to put on was not there when he went to get it.”

A telephone call to Gage’s home for comment Monday night was not returned immediately.