February 19, 2026 — It’s been nearly three weeks since a Gloucester fishing boat sank off the coast of Cape Ann, killing all seven crew members. Federal and state investigators have searched for the 72-foot vessel known as the Lily Jean, but it has not yet been found.
Challenges such as harsh weather conditions have made finding the Lily Jean difficult. Officials are undecided about whether to try to recover the boat and the bodies of the six crew members who remain missing, they said during a Wednesday press conference.
The officials are hopeful but not confident they will be able to locate the Lily Jean, though they said ample resources are being used in the search. They hope that finding the boat will provide answers for the crew members’ families and help make fishing a safer profession.
“This was an experienced captain who was a good personal friend of mine and many of us,” Gloucester State Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-First Essex and Middlesex, said of Gus Sanfilippo, captain of the Lily Jean.