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 when the vessel’s emergency beacon activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders later 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 produced no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area as factors in the decision to suspend operations.
Authorities continue search and recovery efforts after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, with seven people believed to have been on board at the time of the incident.
The United States Coast Guard confirmed that one body has been recovered from the water as crews persist in attempts to locate the remaining missing individuals.
The incident occurred Friday morning off Cape Ann and involved the Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel reported to be between 72 and 80 feet in length.
According to a Coast Guard spokesperson, watchstanders received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert from the vessel at approximately 6:50 a.m.
Initial reports indicated that six people were aboard; however, state officials later confirmed the vessel was carrying seven individuals when it encountered distress.
After repeated attempts to contact the vessel failed, the Coast Guard immediately initiated a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area where the distress signal originated.
Crews subsequently located a debris field approximately 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, near the site of the EPIRB activation.
During the search, responders recovered an unoccupied life raft and located one deceased individual in the water.
The remaining six individuals remain unaccounted for.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water prior to losing contact, and the vessel is now presumed to have sunk. Search operations remain active, with the Coast Guard utilizing multiple air and maritime resources as weather and sea conditions allow.
The loss has deeply impacted Gloucester’s tight-knit fishing community. Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knows the vessel’s owner, spoke emotionally about the dangers fishermen face.
“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,” Sullivan said. “It’s very emotional and very heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed his condolences, noting the region’s long and often perilous 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 issued a statement offering 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 victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the state.
Community members and local businesses have shared messages of remembrance and solidarity.
The Lily Jean was captained by longtime local fisherman Gus Sanfilippo and was 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 aboard.
Officials noted there may have been an additional crew member, though that information has not yet been formally confirmed.
Taylor Hunt shared a tribute online honoring one of the victims, writing:
“Rest in love my cousin and fellow seaman, Freeman Short, and the six souls aboard FV Lily Jean. Lost at sea 1/30/26. 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 highlighted New England’s commercial fishing industry and the vessel’s role within it.
As search efforts continue, authorities have urged the public to keep the missing crew members and their families in their thoughts and prayers.
The Coast Guard has stated that additional updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
