February 18, 2026 — State and federal agencies are still searching for details to explain what caused a commercial fishing vessel to sink off the coast of Gloucester last month, killing all seven people who were on board.
The 72-foot commercial fishing vessel, named Lily Jean, sank on Jan. 30 without sending any distress or mayday call.
Coast Guard crews spent days searching for survivors on dangerously high seas before calling off the search and rescue mission.
At a Wednesday press conference, officials stressed the need for patience as they work toward uncovering meaningful information. They said state and federal partners are collaborating on this phase of the investigation, which includes searching for the sunken ship. That effort is focused on an area about 20 minutes off shore, with waters up to 400 feet deep. Crews are hoping the search helps them understand what happened to the ship.