The person at the center of this case
Mark Edmund Doughty
Missing Person · Open
25 years waiting · since 2001
Missing Person: Mark Edmund Doughty
Justice for Mark Edmund Doughty — the trail went cold in 2001, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1Why was the Starbound captain the only survivor if the vessel sank within a minute? What were the exact circumstances of the collision?
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witness
Lead #2Were there any other vessels in the area that may have witnessed the collision or rescue efforts?
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clue
Lead #3Could Doughty have survived the sinking and been rescued by another vessel or drifted to shore?
Mark Edmund Doughty, a 33-year-old crew member aboard the fishing vessel Starbound, went missing on August 5, 2001, when the ship was struck by the Russian tanker Virgo approximately 130 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The Starbound sank within a minute of the collision; Doughty was sleeping below deck at the time and was not among the survivors. Despite the documented maritime incident, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and whether he may have survived remain investigatively significant.
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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.
📞
contact
Lead #4What was the final communication or last confirmed sighting of Doughty before the collision?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP51782. Missing person: Mark Edmund Doughty.
Last known contact: 2001-08-05 in Gloucester, Essex, MA. Circumstances: Mark was part of the Starbound fishing vessel crew.
They were 130 miles off Cape Ann, MA when their vessel was struck by the Virgo, a Russian tanker. The Starbound captain was the only survivor and stated the boat sank within a minute.
Mark was sleeping below deck when the collision occurred. Demographics: 33 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 5 ft 9 in, 200 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Brown. Investigating agency: United States Coast Guard | 981848 | 2001-08-05.
Timeline of Events
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2001-08-05
Starbound struck by Virgo tanker
Mark Edmund Doughty was aboard the Starbound fishing vessel when it was struck by the Russian tanker Virgo approximately 130 miles off Cape Ann, MA. The vessel sank within one minute. Doughty was sleeping below deck at the time of collision.
Key Locations
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Case Information
Incident:August 5, 2001
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
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Phone: 2252985400
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Case Information
Incident:August 5, 2001
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2252985400
You can remain anonymous