On May 27, 2002, a Memorial Day weekend outing ended in tragedy when 32-year-old Joel Malia and his brothers Jeffrey, 35, and James, 20, vanished after their 37-foot Douglas Skater Catamaran, Bad Kat, flipped near Townsend’s Inlet off Sea Isle City, New Jersey. Witnesses said the boat was traveling at very high speed, possibly over 80 miles per hour, and the impact ejected all three men into the Atlantic.

The New Jersey State Police Marine Unit searched but never recovered the brothers’ bodies. The boat was later located with life jackets still in sealed packaging on board, and authorities cited excessive speed—not alcohol—as a likely factor. The three are officially listed as missing and are presumed deceased, and the family continues to have unanswered questions.