Key facts
- The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for seven people missing from the fishing vessel Lily Jean.
- The vessel sank off the coast of Massachusetts in rough, frigid waters.
- Searchers found a debris field, a body, and an empty life raft.
- The Coast Guard covered about 1,000 square miles over a 24-hour period.
- The vessel was on its way home to Gloucester, Massachusetts.
- The cause of the sinking is under investigation.
The U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday suspended its search for seven people who were aboard the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean when it sank off the coast of Massachusetts in rough, frigid waters. The search was called off after crews covered approximately 1,000 square miles using aircraft, cutters, and small boats over a 24-hour period, determining that all reasonable search efforts had been exhausted.
Searchers found a debris field near where the 72-foot vessel sent an alert about 25 miles off Cape Ann, along with a body in the water and an empty life raft. Officials stated there was no mayday call from the Lily Jean, which was en route to its home port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, America's oldest fishing port. The boat's beacon alerted authorities to its distress.
Frigid temperatures, 7- to 10-foot seas, and freezing ocean spray complicated the search efforts, according to Jamie Frederick, the Coast Guard's Sector Boston commander. A nor'easter was also approaching the East Coast. Wind speeds at the time of the alert were around 27 mph with waves of about 4 feet high, and the water temperature was approximately 39 F (4 C).
This incident marks another maritime tragedy for Gloucester, a city with a deep fishing heritage that has experienced significant losses at sea throughout its history. Mayor Paul Lundberg indicated that the names of those lost on the Lily Jean would be added to a city memorial. Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a fifth-generation fisherman, and his crew were previously featured on the History Channel show "Nor'Easter Men."