Coast Guard Suspends Search After Lily Jean Sinks Off Cape Ann
Coast Guard says it exhausted reasonable search efforts after the 72-foot Lily Jean sank about 25 miles off Cape Ann with seven aboard.
Overview
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for seven people aboard the 72-foot fishing vessel Lily Jean after crews spent 24 hours searching about 1,000 square miles roughly 25 miles off Cape Ann, officials said.
Searchers found a debris field, a body and an empty life raft after the vessel's emergency beacon alerted rescuers but there was no mayday call, Coast Guard Sector Boston Commander Jamie Frederick said.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she was 'heartbroken' in a statement and Republican State Sen. Bruce Tarr spoke emotionally about Captain Gus Sanfilippo, officials confirmed.
Crews used multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats to cover about 1,000 square miles (2,589 square kilometers) during the 24-hour operation, officials said.
The Coast Guard said it will investigate the cause of the sinking and has not released the names of those aboard, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this as a factual, nonpartisan tragedy: straight news of the suspended search, official statements from the Coast Guard, and community condolences from a state senator and the governor. Emotional language is confined to quoted sources; editorial presentation avoids loaded framing, speculation, or partisan positioning.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Searchers found a debris field, one body in the water, and an empty life raft near the location where the vessel sank.
The captain was Gus Sanfilippo, a fifth-generation commercial fisherman from Gloucester, Massachusetts, who was featured on the History Channel show 'Nor’Easter Men' in 2012.
Wind speeds were around 27 mph with 4-foot waves, air temperature was 12°F (-11°C), and water temperature was about 39°F (4°C).
The search was suspended after 24 hours of covering about 1,000 square miles using aircraft, cutters, and boats, as all reasonable efforts were exhausted with no further clues.
History
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