February 26, 2026 — Thelocation of the 72-foot fishing vessel Lily Jean, which sank 22 miles off Cape Ann, MA, on the morning of January 30, 2026, is being sought by specialized vessels from NOAA Woods Hole Laboratory, US Coast Guard cutters, Massachusetts Environmental Police, and others.
The tragic sinking, with the loss of six crew and the captain, has rocked the town of Gloucester, MA and the New England fishing community. Last week, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey held a press conference to update the public on the intense search for the vessel.
“The reality right now is we have a situation where we essentially have a grave out at sea, and that is a very, very difficult, difficult situation for all of these family members,” she said. “I know there are frustrations. There are questions with all of that, and we understand that.”
In addition to multiple state and federal agencies working to find answers to what happened, the Massachusetts Environmental Police is using sonar technology to scan the ocean floor. Col. John Monaghan said the Environmental Police have passed some data along to other agencies for analysis and could send down an underwater vehicle if they isolate a site that seems promising.
Lt. Cmdr. Brett Igo is the Coast Guard’s lead investigative officer in the probe. He said determining the cause of the sinking could prevent future tragedy.