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It was a perfect July afternoon — flat calm seas, blue skies, and plenty of sunshine — as Captain Ray Brown of the scalloper Matthew's Pride cruised approximately 50 miles off the Virginia coast. Suddenly, he smelled a trace of smoke and sought out the source below decks. He immediately was confronted with white caustic smoke, indicating an electrical fire, that prevented him from going further. Returning to the bridge, he attempted to get off a Mayday call but was cut off quickly when all power was lost. However, Captain Ronnie Holloway was able to hear that the Pride was in trouble. Captain Holloway was able to contact the Coast Guard to relay the distress message and then proceeded to the Pride which was visible in the distance. The crew of the Pride abandoned ship after the fire got out of control, while a dozen other commercial fishing vessels streamed towards the stricken Pride. The crew was safely picked up by Captain Holloway as a US Coast Guard C-130 aircraft arrived on scene. Shortly thereafter, a US Navy Aegis cruiser approached and began pumping fire-retardant foam on the flaming ship. Next to arrive was a US Coast Guard cutter, which dismissed the Navy vessel from the scene. Unfortunately, the Coast Guard began spraying water on the flames instead of foam. Shortly after midnight, filled with water, the Matthew's Pride slipped beneath the surface.

Today, the Pride rests upright, intact, and outriggers extended, in 175' of water.