A fellow fisherman says he spoke with Lily Jean captain Gus Sanfilippo around 3 a.m. on Jan. 30—just hours before the 72‑foot fishing vessel sank off Gloucester, Mass. Seven people were reported aboard; search teams recovered one unresponsive body and an empty life raft. The U.S. Coast Guard received an EPIRB alert, searched roughly 1,047 square miles over 24 hours using aircraft, a cutter and small boats, and suspended the active search on Jan. 31 after exhausting reasonable efforts. Officials and the Gloucester community expressed condolences as investigations continue.
Friend Recalls Final Call With Lily Jean Captain Hours Before 72‑ft Fishing Boat Sank Off Gloucester, Mass.
Gus Sanfilippo; Lily Jean shipGus Sanfilippo/Facebook
A close colleague of Captain Gus Sanfilippo recalled speaking with him mere hours before the 72‑foot commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean went down off Gloucester, Massachusetts, on Jan. 30. The U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency position‑indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert for the vessel and, after failing to establish contact, launched an intensive search.
Seven people were reported to have been aboard the Lily Jean. Search teams later recovered one unresponsive body and an unoccupied life raft linked to the vessel. The Coast Guard deployed multiple aircraft, a cutter and small boats in the response.
Captain Sebastian Noto, a fellow fisherman who often worked alongside Sanfilippo, told NBC10 Boston that he had spoken with the Lily Jean captain around 3 a.m. on the day of the incident. Noto said their relationship was close:
and remembered Sanfilippo sounding calm but frustrated by the cold:"I was about 30 miles east of him. We usually work together all the time. We are like glue, man,"
Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial in Gloucester, Mass.AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
"I quit. It's too cold."
Several hours later, with no sign of the Lily Jean, Noto recognized the severity of the situation and speculated—while acknowledging he could be wrong—that a bilge pump failure might have played a role. "Just a guess," he said. "Even if the bilge is taking water, you got plenty of time to call Mayday. You got plenty of time to get into the survival suit, life raft. The boat takes time to sink."
On Jan. 31 the U.S. Coast Guard announced it had covered approximately 1,047 square miles over 24 hours and that "all reasonable efforts" had been exhausted; the active search was suspended. Capt. Jamie Frederick, commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston, called the decision "incredibly difficult" and extended thoughts and prayers to the families, friends and the Gloucester community.
Local authorities and maritime agencies continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the sinking. The community has rallied to support loved ones affected by the loss, while investigators work to determine cause and sequence of events.
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