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Gloucester struggles for answers as search for sunken fishing boat continues
The investigation into the Lily Jean’s sinking has entered its “next phase” as authorities work to provide families closure, officials said.
Weeks after the Lily Jean sank off the coast of Gloucester with seven people on board, loved ones and local officials are still working to uncover what happened to the fishing boat and its crew.
State Sen. Bruce Tarr said during a press briefing Wednesday the search effort has entered its “next phase” as authorities work to investigate the fishing vessel’s fate and provide families closure.
All seven on board were presumed dead after the boat sank off the coast of Cape Ann Jan. 30. Coast Guard personnel who responded to an emergency radio signal from the Lily Jean around 6:50 a.m. found one “unresponsive body” in the water, as well as a debris field and an unoccupied life raft, the agency previously said.
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Capt. Jamie Frederick, commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston, said the decision to suspend the search for the missing crew the following day was an “incredibly difficult” one that was “made with the utmost care, attention to detail, and respect for those affected.”
Now, authorities are in the midst of an “unprecedented” effort to locate the sunken vessel, according to Tarr, who represents Gloucester in the state Legislature.
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“One of the most haunting things about grief with a loss at sea is the uncertainty, the not knowing, the wondering. What happened? Why did it happen? Where is the vessel?” he said. “Answering those questions takes an extraordinary amount of effort, and that effort is being provided by the local, state, and federal governments.”
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Gov. Maura Healey likewise commended search teams and extended her condolences to the family and friends of the Lily Jean’s lost crew: Capt. Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short, and Sean Therrien, and NOAA fisheries observer Jada Samitt.
“The more we learn about them, the more we come to deeply appreciate what these men and women represent,” she said. “They represent the heart and the soul of the fishing community, and really the state of Massachusetts. And the way we support them now is by standing with them, standing with this community and supporting their families.”
Healey also acknowledged the community’s grief at the painful uncertainty.
“The reality right now is we have a situation where we essentially have a grave out at sea, and that is a very, very difficult, difficult situation for all of these family members,” she said. “I know there are frustrations. There are questions with all of that, and we understand that.”
Multiple state and federal agencies are working to find answers, she said, including the Massachusetts Environmental Police, which is using sonar technology to scan the ocean floor. Col. John Monaghan said the Environmental Police have passed some data along to other agencies for analysis and could send down an underwater vehicle if they isolate a site that seems promising.
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“We’re kind of at the mercy of the sea right now and awaiting better data so we can make our next move,” he said.
Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Brett Igo, the lead investigative officer in the agency’s probe, said his aim is to determine the cause of the sinking and prevent future tragedy.
“I want to be clear about the purpose of this investigation: Our goal is not to assign blame but to understand what happened and to identify any measures that can be taken to improve the safety of life and property at sea,” Igo added.
He said authorities have launched a public website to release further information as it becomes available, though he stressed the comprehensive investigation will take time.
Whether search teams will be able to recover the Lily Jean crew members’ bodies remains up in the air, according to Tarr.
“The issue of body recovery is going to be one of the most difficult challenges,” he said. “I will tell you that a 300-plus-foot dive into a vessel, potentially into confined space, could itself be life-threatening.”
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And while he noted there is no information recorder or “black box” on a fishing boat the size of the Lily Jean, the sunken vessel could offer further clues about what happened.
“This was an experienced captain,” Tarr emphasized. “He didn’t take risks. He didn’t spare expense on maintenance or technology. He was in a fishing family. He was in a solid, steel-hulled vessel. Why did it happen? We need to find out.”
He and Frederick also pointed out that search and rescue crews who initially responded to the Lily Jean’s emergency signal reported freezing spray, a dangerous condition that causes ice to accumulate on a vessel, weighing it down and potentially throwing it off-kilter.
While the investigation plays out, Gloucester Mayor Paul Lundberg said the names of the crew members will be added to the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial, which honors local fishermen lost at sea. Noting the fleet of boats that continues to head out in spite of the risks, Tarr also made an appeal on behalf of Gloucester’s fishing industry.
“Please do your best to consume some local fish,” he urged. “And when you do, say a prayer for the person who got it to your plate. They’re out there giving it their all — in some cases, their very lives.”
Ricky Beal, who lost his brother and nephew on the Lily Jean, condemned what he described as “baseless, and in some cases evil, speculation on social media” about the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
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“Hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened,” Beal said. “But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning.”
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