Search Teams Use Advanced Tech to Locate Sunken Fishing Vessel Off Massachusetts Coast

Multiple agencies are working together to find the wreckage of the Lily Jean, a fishing boat that went down off Gloucester, Massachusetts last month with seven people aboard. Winter weather conditions have complicated recovery efforts in the 300-foot deep waters.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Search teams are utilizing advanced underwater technology in their ongoing effort to locate a commercial fishing vessel that went down in Atlantic waters last month, claiming the lives of all seven people on board. However, harsh winter conditions continue to hamper recovery operations.

The Lily Jean, measuring 72 feet in length, was heading back to harbor during the early morning hours of January 30 for equipment repairs when the vessel sank in icy waters near the historic Massachusetts fishing community of Gloucester. Several agencies are now working in partnership to find the vessel’s remains and possibly retrieve the bodies of those who perished, authorities announced Wednesday. The collaborative effort includes the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Recovery operations face significant challenges as the Lily Jean rests in waters exceeding 300 feet in depth under extremely harsh winter conditions. Environmental police teams have deployed side-scan sonar equipment to collect information and identify unusual objects on the seafloor, according to officials. Plans also include sending a remotely operated underwater vehicle to capture images and footage, though rough sea conditions have prevented this step so far.

Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican representing Gloucester, promised that officials would keep the mourning community informed of developments.

“One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing,” Tarr said during a news conference on Wednesday. “Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort.”

The Coast Guard initially began search and rescue operations after receiving a distress signal from the boat approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann. Recovery teams discovered scattered debris in the area where the alert originated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft, Coast Guard officials reported. The search operation was called off the next day, and the local community has since come together to support the victims’ families.

Gloucester holds the distinction of being America’s oldest seaport and maintains a reputation for its tight-knit fishing industry. The community gained national attention through “The Perfect Storm” book and film, which drew inspiration from the FV Andrea Gail that disappeared at sea in 1991.

Coast Guard representatives have released the names of those who died when the Lily Jean sank: captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien. Jada Samitt, a fisheries observer working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was also on board.

Ricky Beal, whose brother Paul Beal Sr. was among the victims, expressed hope during Wednesday’s press conference that the investigation would help families understand the tragedy. He also urged people following the case to avoid sharing unverified information.

“As of now, hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened. But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning,” Beal said.

The Lily Jean and its crew, led by Sanfilippo, appeared in a 2012 History Channel episode of “Nor’Easter Men.” The program portrayed Sanfilippo as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman operating out of Gloucester in the Georges Bank area. The show documented the crew working through dangerous weather for extended periods, sometimes spending up to 10 days at sea harvesting haddock, lobster and flounder.