LILY JEAN
Latest ports
Latest Waypoints
Latest news
Joint mission searched wreck of sunken vessel and found no signs of the missing six crew members
No signs of the missing six crew members who were aboard the 'Lily Jean', which sank off the coast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts in January, were found during a search of the vessel's crew quarters on Aug 12. Massachusetts State Police crews searched the waters above the wreckage and used cameras to search the interior of the vessel,. After a 90-minute search focused on the crew quarters, no human remains were found. The body of the ship's captain, Accursio "Gus" Sanfilippo, was recovered from the site after the sinking, but the rest of the crew, Freeman Short, Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Sean Therrien and Jada Samitt, remained missing. The mission was carried out, as part of an ongoing effort to help bring closure to the families of the lost crew, by the Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit and Underwater Recovery Team and Massachusetts Environmental Police. The mission also provided additional information about the vessel's condition, which was being reviewed. The state led the search after the U.S. Navy told Massachusetts officials that it would not assist with the recovery efforts. The state was continuing its investigation. In addition to finding the missing sailors, the state investigators were also hoping to recover equipment from the ship that may shed light on what caused it to sink.
U.S. Navy declined request to recover Lily Jean
The U.S. Navy declined a request to recover the 'Lily Jean' and the remains of six crew members believed to still be on board, after the ship sank in the waters off Gloucester on Jan 30, 2026. Officials expressed sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, but said the Navy was unable to fulfill the request for a salvage operation. In the letter from Aug 5, 2026, the Navy stated that the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board already have the information needed to complete their investigation into the sinking.The body of Captain Gus Sanfilippo was the only one recovered. The National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard both listed the investigation into the sinking as ongoing. The Gloucester's annual Fishermen's Memorial Service was scheduled for Aug 8. Family members of the 'Lily Jean' victims were expected to attend.
Fishing vessel and crew lost off Cape Ann
On the morning of Jan 30, the 'Lily Jean' (IMO: 7308516), skippered by Gus Sanfilippo, with seven people on board, sank in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The fishing vessel was last reported returning to Gloucester when the vessel’s EPIRB was activated at 6.50 a.m. Attempts to contact the crew were unsuccessful, and the US Coast Guard launched an SAR operation. Northeast District watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod and a small boat crew from Station Gloucester to search the area. The Coast Guard Cutter 'Thunder Bay (WTGB-108)' was also diverted to assist the search. The rescue crews located a debris field in the vicinity of the EPIRB activation. One unresponsive body was recovered from the water. A life raft associated with the vessel was found, but unoccupied. The weather conditions proved to be difficult with freezing spray causing dangerous icing conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing crew members on the morning of Jan 31, after the search efforts yielded no additional results. The Coast Guard crews had conducted coordinated search patterns based on weather conditions, sea state and available evidence and covered approximately 1,047 square miles over 24 hours using multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats. After consultation between the SAR mission coordinators and on-scene commanders, the Coast Guard determined that all reasonable search efforts for the missing crewmembers had been exhausted. The cause of the incident was under investigation by the Coast Guard Northeast District.
Upload News