“JUST DEVASTATING.”
A quiet Massachusetts town is in mourning after a fishing boat sank, taking multiple lives with it.

Church bells rang. Flags dropped to half-staff.
Families gathered along the harbor, staring at the water where the vessel was last seen.

Officials confirm the boat went down suddenly, giving the crew little to no time to react.
And as recovery efforts continue, residents say one detail from the final moments at sea has left the town completely shaken.

‘Just devastating.’ Massachusetts town mourns victims after boat sinks

One of the oldest fishing towns in the country is mourning seven people who all died when their fishing vessel, the Lily Jean, sank off the coast of Massachusetts last week.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Northeast District launched a search and rescue mission on Friday, Jan. 30, after receiving an emergency alert from the 72-foot fishing boat at about 6:50 a.m. local time. At the time, the Coast Guard said the vessel was about 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, a rocky peninsula northeast of Boston.

The Coast Guard said it attempted to contact the boat but did not receive a response, and crews were sent to search the area. Crews later located a debris field near the area where the alert was sent, and found a body in the water and an empty life raft, according to the Coast Guard.

Search and rescue crews covered more than 1,000 square miles over 24 hours using multiple aircraft, cutters, and small boats. But after determining that “all reasonable search efforts for the missing crewmembers had been exhausted,” the Coast Guard said the operation was suspended on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 31.

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Texas commercial fisherman Buddy Guindon became an evangelist for the “catch shares” system after first opposing it. Commercial fishing jobs grew 38 percent in the U.S. from 2011 to 2022.

Search efforts had “yielded no additional results” and the seven people on board the vessel were presumed to be dead, according to the Coast Guard. On Monday, Feb. 2, the Coast Guard identified all seven crew members who were aboard the Lily Jean.

“The decision to suspend the search was incredibly difficult,” the Coast Guard’s Sector Boston Commander Jamie Frederick said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family members and friends of the lost crew of the Lilly Jean, and with the entire Gloucester community during this heartbreaking time.”

The incident is the latest tragedy to hit Gloucester, a city with deep-rooted maritime history known as the oldest fishing port in the United States. The historical fishing community is considered a critical hub for the New England fishing industry, which has faced challenges such as low prices, catch limitations, and the seasonal nature of the industry, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In a statement on Monday, Feb. 2, the City of Gloucester said it “extends its deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones affected by the tragic loss of the F/V Lily Jean.”

Coast Guard and NTSB investigating fishing boat’s deadly sinking

The Coast Guard said in an update on Monday, Feb. 2, that it launched a formal investigation into the sinking of the Lily Jean. The National Transportation Safety Board will assist in the investigation.

“A district-level formal investigation consists of a Coast Guard investigating officer who will receive evidence and testimony using formal rules and procedures regarding a recent marine accident,” the Coast Guard said. “This type of investigation is launched for incidents of significant regional importance or those that may reveal broader issues with a class of vessel or areas of technical concern.”

The investigation will determine if the incident requires further review by the Marine Board of Investigation, according to the Coast Guard. The investigation is expected to take several months to complete.

What we know about the victims

The Coast Guard identified the seven victims as Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short, Sean Therrien, and Jada Samitt. A vigil and memorial Mass was held at a local church on Sunday, Feb. 1, in memory of the victims.

Sanfilippo was captain of the boat, according to the Coast Guard. Sanfilippo and his crew were featured on an episode of the History Channel show “Nor’Easter Men” in 2012, which documented the dangers fishermen in New England faced.

“Gus was a personal friend. He was one of the people I looked to in this harbor,” Massachusetts state Sen. Bruce Tarr told local television station WCVB.

Paul Beal Sr. and his son, Paul Beal Jr., were crew members of the Lily Jean, according to the Coast Guard. Ricky Beal said his brother, Paul Beal Sr., and his nephew were on board the boat when it sank, CBS Boston reported.

“It’s just devastating. I can’t explain it,” Ricky Beal told the television station.

Rousanidis, Short, and Therrien were also crew members of the Lily Jean, the Coast Guard said. Rousanidis’ sister said he was a generous and happy person who loved the sea, according to local television station Boston 25 News.

Short’s sister described him as a “very strong man” whose “heart was very loving and gentle,” WCVB reported. And Therrien was remembered as a “hardworking family man whose life revolved around the people he loved most,” according to a GoFundMe page.

Samitt was a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries observer, the Coast Guard said. Her family said in a statement to local radio station WBUR that she was “vibrant and compassionate with an infectious smile and spirit.”

“Jada was on the Lily Jean that day because of her strong belief in her work, not only as an observer, but as someone who knew her important role as a crew member,” Samitt’s family said, according to WBUR. “She proved herself to be so on every trip, and conveyed to us how critical it was to protect the seas and fisheries.”

State, local officials react to vessel sinking

Following reports of the boat’s sinking, the City of Gloucester said in a statement on Saturday, Jan. 31, that it was a “tragic time” for the community.

“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,” the city said. “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. This is a tragedy we have experienced before, and one we will never get used to,” the statement continued. “However, in uncertainty, one thing remains certain. Gloucester is a strong and resilient community, and we will come together united in continued support of those reeling from the loss of this fishing vessel.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll shared their condolences and said the Gloucester community is “close to both of our hearts.”

“The loss of the Lily Jean now ripples through this community and brings up the hardest memories for so many fishing families. Please know, you are not alone,” Healey and Driscoll said in a statement. “Today, and in the weeks and months to come, Massachusetts will stand with you, not just in words but in actions.”