The person at the center of this case
Joseph F Jones
Missing Person · Open
16 years waiting · since 2009
Missing Person: Joseph F Jones
Justice for Joseph F Jones — the trail went cold in 2009, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1What caused the Bottom Basher to sink or become disabled, and why was only one crew member's body recovered?
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location
Lead #2Where exactly did the vessel go down, and have all recoverable pieces of the boat been located and examined?
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person
Lead #3What were the circumstances of the crew member whose body was recovered, and does this provide clues about what happened to Joseph?
Joseph F Jones, a 28-year-old fisherman, disappeared on October 20, 2009, while aboard his fishing vessel the Bottom Basher near Falls Island in Cobscook Bay, Maine. The boat was headed out to drag for sea urchins when it was last seen by a passing fisherman; the body of a crew member was recovered the next day and many boat pieces have been found, but Joseph remains missing. The circumstances surrounding the vessel's fate and Joseph's whereabouts remain unclear, making continued investigation and any new information critical to resolving this case.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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witness
Lead #4Are there other fishermen or boaters who were in the area on October 20, 2009, who might have additional information?
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clue
Lead #5Could weather conditions, mechanical failure, or other factors on that date explain the vessel's disappearance?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP56348. Missing person: Joseph F Jones.
Last known contact: 2009-10-20 in Cobscook Bay, Washington, ME. Circumstances: Joseph Jones and his crew were aboard his fishing vessel, the Bottom Basher, headed out to drag for sea urchins.
The boat and crew were last seen by a passing fisherman near Falls Island, in the Cobscook Bay. The body of a crew member was recovered the next day.
Many pieces of the boat have been recovered. Demographics: 28 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 5 ft 9 in, 150 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Blue. Investigating agency: United States Coast Guard | 479016 | 2009-10-20.
Timeline of Events
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2009-10-20
Joseph F Jones and crew depart on fishing vessel
Joseph F Jones and his crew aboard the Bottom Basher headed out to drag for sea urchins in Cobscook Bay near Falls Island.
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2009-10-20
Last sighting by passing fisherman
The Bottom Basher was last seen by a passing fisherman near Falls Island in Cobscook Bay.
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2009-10-21
Crew member body recovered
The body of a crew member was recovered the day after the vessel was last seen. Many pieces of the boat have been recovered.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:October 20, 2009
Last Updated:June 24, 2026
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Phone: 2252985400
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Case Information
Incident:October 20, 2009
Last Updated:June 24, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2252985400
You can remain anonymous