Local News
Sarah Marsh Found Deceased Following Catastrophic Flash Flooding at Camp Mystic, Grandmother Says
KERR COUNTY, Texas — The grandmother of Sarah Marsh has confirmed to Channel2 NOW that Sarah is among the latest victims to be found deceased following the catastrophic flash flooding that swept through Camp Mystic.
Sarah from Mountain Brook, a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary had been missing since the floods hit the all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas.
Her death adds to the growing list of confirmed fatalities, which includes fellow campers Janie Hunt and Renee Smajstrla.
Both girls were recovered after a cabin at Camp Mystic was swept away by rapidly rising waters of the Guadalupe River.
Among the lives lost in this tragedy is Camp Mystic Director Dick Eastland.
Eastland, who led the camp through decades of cherished summers, had previously endured profound personal loss—having lost his son and grandson—and had survived a battle with brain cancer.
He is remembered by the camp community as a steadfast leader and mentor.
Ellen Troxclair confirmed to Channel 2 NOW that at least 10 individuals from Camp Mystic have been confirmed deceased, including longtime camp director Dick Eastland and several young campers.
This brings the total number of lives lost to at least 35, following the 25 fatalities reported the previous night.
The flooding was caused by a historic 15 inches of rainfall that fell in a matter of hours, overwhelming the Guadalupe River and parts of Central Texas.
Officials have confirmed at least 24 deaths across the region, with over 20 individuals still unaccounted for as of Friday night.
Governor Greg Abbott addressed the ongoing crisis in a press conference, calling it a “mass casualty event.” He confirmed that state and local emergency personnel remain in a “search and rescue posture” and that operations will continue “nonstop, throughout the night and into the morning.” The use of helicopters equipped with infrared technology is assisting in locating survivors or victims amid the floodwaters and debris.
Efforts have included the deployment of over 100 game wardens and aviation units. While access to Camp Mystic was initially restricted due to the flooding, rescuers were able to reach the grounds by midday Friday and began evacuating children.
More than 200 people have since been rescued or evacuated, including 167 by air, according to Major General Thomas M. Suelzer.
Camp Mystic remains the only known summer camp along the Guadalupe River where people are still unaccounted for, despite officials being in communication with 18 other camps in the area.
The remote region continues to suffer from loss of power, internet, and road access, further complicating rescue efforts.
Governor Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for multiple counties affected by the flooding, including Kerr, Bandera, Kendall, and Gillespie, among others. He pledged that all available state resources will be deployed to assist in the rescue and recovery.
“We are focused on the ones that cannot help themselves right now,” said Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. “That is our primary area of concern.”
The number of missing individuals continues to fluctuate as evacuations and reunifications progress.
The situation remains fluid, and families across Texas await word on the safety of their loved ones.
Officials are urging the public to continue offering prayers and support.
Emergency personnel, volunteers, and countless families remain united in grief, hope, and determination during this unprecedented tragedy.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.