US marine tragedy kills father-and-son crew, 5 others as fishing boat sinks off Gloucester: What did Coast Guard say?

The seven victims of a tragic marine disaster in a historic Massachusetts fishing town included a fifth-generation fisherman, a young fisheries observer, and a father-and-son crew team. All lost their lives when their fishing vessel, the Lily Jean, sank off Gloucester, America’s oldest seaport.

The sinking marks the latest in a series of maritime tragedies to strike Gloucester and its tightly knit fishing community. The town’s fishing industry, immortalied in the book and film The Perfect Storm, is deeply rooted in more than 400 years of history marked by both resilience and recurring loss.

In a statement, the Coast Guard stated, “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." It added, “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 Coast Guard mentioned that search teams discovered a debris field near the location where the alert came from, along with a body in the water and an unoccupied life raft.

The victims include the boat’s captain, Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short, and Sean Therrien, according to the Coast Guard. Also on board was Jada Samitt, a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). There were no survivors.

Sanfilippo was a well-known figure in the Gloucester fishing community. The vessel, the Lily Jean, along with Sanfilippo and his crew, was featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men. Sanfilippo was a fifth-generation commercial fisherman, operating out of Gloucester and the Georges Bank. The show featured the crew working long hours in treacherous conditions, often spending up to 10 days at sea harvesting haddock, lobster, and flounder.

Meanwhile, Everett Sawyer, 55, a childhood friend of Sanfilippo, said he personally knew 25 people who had been lost at sea. He noted that harsh winter conditions can make operations challenging, even for seasoned sailors. “Things happen very quickly when you’re out on the ocean,” Sawyer stated.

Gloucester Mayor Paul Lundberg stated that the names of those who perished on the Lily Jean will be included on a city memorial honoring the thousands of fishermen lost at sea over the years.