Their captain told them to let go. The young fishermen refused and saved him.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 3, 2026

The trap line caught Captain Jay Fiandaca’s foot as the trap went overboard, Aug. 11. Suddenly, Fiandaca was at immediate risk of being pulled from the deck of the Amanda Rose. He told the two young fishermen working alongside him to let go, to do it for their own safety. Instead, they held on. One of the brothers secured Captain Jay, keeping him from being dragged overboard. The other worked the line, creating enough slack to free his captain from the entanglement. Those brothers — Lukas and Hayden Fortin — are just entering eighth grade at Mount Desert Elementary School.