Update: Coast Guard IDs dead Exeter shell fisherman
4:42 PM Tue, Jul 28, 2009 | Permalink
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NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- The shellfish diver whose body was found Tuesday morning by Warwick Fire Department divers had been in the business for about 30 years and was an experienced diver according to the vice president of the Rhode Island The U.S. Guard identified the diver as Louis Ricciarelli Jr., 56, of 107 Scenic Way, Exeter. The Coast Guard said in a news release that it found Ricciarelli tethered to his boat, the 25-foot Chelsea Ann, anchored in about 20 feet of water a mile from Allen Harbor. Jody King, vice president of the Rhode Island Shell Fisherman's Association, who has known Riccarelli for 20 years said Ricciarelli was an experienced diver. King explained that Ricciarelli would enter the water to dive for steamers or little necks tethered to a compresser which produces air stored in a tank pumped down through a long rubber hose attached to his face mask. He was also tied to a rope that served as a safety line. He also took with him the bag he would store little necks and steamers. "What made Lou Ricciarelli special is that he is also an aquaculturist. He grows oysters for a living in cages and also goes out to the wild to harvest shell fish. He is a hard worker," said King, who is a bullraker. Ricciarelli's wife had reported him overdue from a Monday fishing trip early Tuesday morning, according to Scott Backholm, a Coast Guard search and rescue controller. She called the state police Wickford barracks, according to State Police Lt. Arnold Buxton. Ricciarelli ordinarily fished around Prudence Island during the day, and Monday he was expected back around 4 or 5 p.m. after a full day of fishing, Backholm said. His wife works nights, and so it wasn't until she returned home from work that she knew he had not returned home, according to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard does not have its own divers, so immediately after finding Ricciarelli's boat, the agency called the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island State Police and the Warwick Fire Department, which has a dive team, Backholm said. Coast Guard Station Castle Hill learned at 3:33 a.m. Tuesday that Ricciarelli was missing, and the agency immediately launched a 25-foot Coast Guard rescue boat, Backholm said. The Coast Guard and the Harbor Master say they each found Ricciarelli's boat. Larry Hower, one of the harbor master assistants, said Tuesday afternoon that Harbormaster Mark Knapp got a call between 2 and 3 a.m. about a fisherman 12 hours overdue. Ricciarelli usually arrived around 2 p.m. to unload his shellfish to Gardner's Warf Seafood. His slip was right outside Gardner's Wharf Seafood. Knapp went out immediately, Hower said. Another shell fisherman told him where Ricciarelli usually dives and Knapp went there. Knapp used radar and found the boat. It was a mile north of Allen Harbor, Hower said. It was flat, calm and dark outside, Hower said. Backholm, though, said that the Coast Guard located the boat at 5:20 a.m., anchored just northeast of Quonset Point in North Kingstown, Backholm said. For the type of fishing Ricciarelli did, he would anchor his boat and dive right from there, Backholm said. Although traditionally bullrakers and divers don't normally get along, Dave Tobler, a bullraker, said that he and Ricciarelli, a diver, got along well. "He was a nice guy." Ricciarelli's death was perplexing, he said. "It's a puzzle." Tobler said he was fishing in view of Ricciarelli Monday morning, and went right by him when he was returning home to East Greenwich. He said he didn't see Ricciarelli on the boat. "It's a dangerous living," Tobler said. "Almost all the divers break the first rule: Don't dive alone." The Coast Guard crew knew Ricciarelli's tether was attached to the boat and took caution not to disturb it. "[We] were afraid if we started pulling on the tether that it would break and we would lose our only possible lead as to his location," Backholm said. Not knowing whether the man was still on the other end of the tether, the Coast Guard continued searching the area until divers found the man, Backholm said. The Warwick Fire Department divers found the man underwater around 7 a.m. and confirmed he was still attached to his tether line, Backholm said. In addition to the tether, the man also had an air line attached to his equipment, Backholm said. The DEM was towing the man's boat to the agency's marine base in Wickford, spokeswoman Gail Mastrati said Tuesday morning. Elaine and Allan Bessette, of North Kingstown, who fish for conch, have their boat tied about 30 feet from Ricciarrelli's. Ricciarelli, they said, was an all-around good guy who was always working. In addition to the diving for shellfish he also did oyster farming, they said. Retirees Joan and Bill Morgan of Warwick come to the wharf often with a picnic lunch to watch the boats. Every day around 2 p.m. or so, the shell fishermen would come in. They remember seeing Ricciarelli and his chihuahua. Hower said Ricciarelli's chihuahua was in still in his truck, which was parked behind Gardner's Warf Seafood, Tuesday. The dog was alive. Late Tuesday afternoon the truck that Ricciarelli had used to go to the wharf was sitting in his family's driveway, the door open. Inside, his black and white chihuahua, Rocco, was sitting in the driver's seat his head down. Family members said that the dog had stayed in the truck at the wharf waiting for his masters return. This story was originally published at 7:39 a.m. and updated at 7:41, 8:33 and 9:25 a.m., as well as at noon and 3:30 p.m.. 
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Leaving a dog in a truck in this heat is unthinkable.
That is animal cruelty
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You are absolutely right. You can mention it to Mr. Riccarelli at his viewing.
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You are both off base.
The dog was never locked in a truck.
The dog was outside everyday at the dock and the truck was always left wide open where Rocco would curl up when he wanted to and wait for Lou to return. The dog had food and water and received a whole lot of attention.
Rocco was an abused dog that Lou took in and he took better care of that dog than most people do for their children.
They were inseperable, and the only reason the dog did not go out on the boat was Lou knew the dog would jump in after him.
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Mike: If the Projo knew the full facts and printed the same, the abuse issue never would have come up. Hopefully, Rocco will remain in the household as a living tribute to Lou.
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I know the family. All very kind and all dog lovers. I am sure if his children read that first comment they would be shocked, more so then they already are. People are heartless and narrow minded and tend to open there mouths/ or write something inappropiate. I know if someone wrote that about my father I would be very hurt and would want to set them straight. It was clear the article was written as details were becoming clear and judging by the time the event actually happened this could have easily been figured out. Again, people don't think.
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I knew Lou, we were both at U.R.I. He was truly one of the good guys. May he be at peace.
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Imagine someone going out day after day to do the same activities and then just one day never to return. I would have a terribly hard time accepting that in my own life. I looked at Lou's boat several times since the incident and that is the only thought the keeps going thru my mind. Someone so experienced and something like this to happen. So tragic. Oh man, what a terrible loss.
My heart goes out to Lou's wife and children.
May he rest in peace. And as it was already said, he died doing what he loved.
I feel so bad for poor Rocco. He is going to miss his master so much. It sounds like they were inseperable.
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