Local News
One Body Recovered After FV Lily Jean Sinks Off Gloucester Coast, Seven People Aboard
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities are continuing search and rescue efforts after a commercial fishing vessel sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, with seven people believed to be on board.
The United States Coast Guard confirmed that one body has been recovered from the water as crews search for the remaining missing crew members.
The incident involves the Lily Jean, a fishing vessel reported to be between 72 and 80 feet in length, which went down Friday morning off Cape Ann.
According to a Coast Guard spokesperson, watchstanders received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert from the Lily Jean at approximately 6:50 a.m.
Initially, authorities reported that six people were on board; however, state officials later confirmed that the vessel was carrying seven individuals at the time of the incident.
After attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful, the Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a small boat crew to the area of the distress signal.
Crews subsequently located a debris field approximately 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, near the location where the EPIRB signal was activated.
During the search, responders recovered an unoccupied life raft and located one deceased individual in the water.
The identity of the deceased has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
The remaining six crew members are still unaccounted for.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported that it was taking on water before losing contact.
The vessel is now presumed to have sunk.
Search efforts remain active, with the Coast Guard utilizing multiple air and sea assets as weather and sea conditions permit.
The tragedy has deeply affected Gloucester’s close-knit fishing community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knows the vessel’s owner, expressed her grief, emphasizing the risks fishermen face daily. “I hope everyone takes a step back and really looks at the sacrifices these men make day in and day out just to put food on our table,” she said. “It’s very emotional and very heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also offered condolences, noting the city’s long maritime history. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that fishing history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are suffering another one of those losses right now.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement expressing her sympathy and support, saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester about the sinking of the Lily Jean.” She added that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard and extended prayers to the crew’s families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the state.
Community members and local businesses have also shared messages of support and prayer.
The Lily Jean was captained by local fisherman Gus Sanfilippo and reportedly crewed by deckhands Paul Beal Sr. and Paul Beal Jr., a father-and-son team.
Authorities and community sources said a younger crew member from Lynn and a federal fisheries observer were also on board.
There may have been an additional crew member, though that has not yet been confirmed by officials.
The Lily Jean was previously featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, highlighting the vessel’s role in New England’s commercial fishing industry.
As search operations continue, officials have urged the public to keep the missing crew members and their families in their thoughts and prayers.
The Coast Guard has stated that further updates will be released as more information becomes available.
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.