The U.S. Coast Guard’s Northeast Division is investigating the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the Massachusetts coast and subsequent loss of seven lives last week.
At 6:50 a.m., on January 30, the Coast Guard responded to an emergency radio beacon from the fishing vessel 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann.
The Guardsmen on the search faced up to 10-foot seas and freezing ocean spray due to frigid temperatures and stormy conditions. The search covered about 1,000 square miles over a 24-hour period.
Searchers found a debris field along with a body in the water and an empty life raft. The search was suspended on January 31 after “all reasonable search efforts for the missing crew members had been exhausted,” the Coast Guard said.
The Lily Jean was from the historic Cape Ann fishing port of Gloucester and its captain and crew were part of a community that has experienced similar tragedies over the years and now is again mourning the loss of lives at sea.
On February 2, the Coast Guard identified the seven crew members as follows:
- Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, captain
- Paul Beal Sr., crew
- Paul Beal Jr., crew
- John Rousanidis, crew
- Freeman Short, crew
- Sean Therrien, crew
- Jada Samitt, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries observer
Two of the Lily Jean lost fishermen — the Beals — were father and son. Samit, the NOAA fishery observer, was on board to collect data for the government to use to write regulations.
Gloucester has a long and proud history as the nation’s oldest fishing port but that history is also filled with tragedy. The city has a memorial along its shore that honors thousands of fishermen who have been lost at sea. Mayor Paul Lundberrg said the names of those on the Lily Jean would be added to the memorial.
“Fishing is the heart and soul of Gloucester. Every day fishermen risk their lives facing treacherous conditions to provide for their families in order to feed our collective family. We consider everyone who fishes from this port our family and that’s what makes times like this trying. But it also gives us the strength to carry on and that’s what we will do in the days ahead,” Lundberg wrote in a message on the city’s website.
A memorial mass to honor the people who died was held in Gloucester this afternoon.
The book and movie “The Perfect Storm” were about the Andrea Gail, another Gloucester vessel that went missing at sea in 1991.
Lily Jean Captain Gus Sanfilippo and his crew were featured along with two other captains and their crews in a 2012 History Channel show “Nor’Easter Men” where they were filmed fishing in dangerous weather conditions for as many as 10 days straight.
Rear Admiral Michael Platt, commander of the Northeast District, said the Coast Guard investigation will seek to identify measures that can improve the safety of life and property at sea, not to assign civil or criminal blame. The investigation is expected to take several months.
The Coast Guard will be joined by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in investigating the casualty. The findings will determine if the accident requires further review by a Marine Board of Investigation, according to Platt.
Top Photo: Flowers are seen placed at the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial in Gloucester, Mass., after a fishing boat from port city went missing off the coast of Massachusetts with multiple people on board, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
The most important insurance news,in your inbox every business day.
Get the insurance industry’s trusted newsletter
