GLOUCESTER , MASS. (WHDH) - Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has requested help from the United States Navy with the investigation surrounding the F/V Lily Jean, a fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Gloucester in January, killing all seven people on board.
The 72-foot fishing boat sank on January 30, roughly 25 miles East of Gloucester. The boat’s captain, five crew members, and an observer working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) all died in the crash.
Officials identified them as Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, the captain, crew members Paul Beal Sr., and his son Paul Beal Jr., Josh Rousanidis, Freeman Short, Sean Therrien, and NOAA Fisheries Observer Jada Samitt.
In a letter to Acting United States Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, Healey wrote, “Officials from the Massachusetts State Police have received information suggesting that a video recorder and hard drive installed on the F/V Lily Jean remains intact, with the potential to provide essential details in the immediate moments before the ship was lost. The company that installed the technology believes the video captured is retrievable. Importantly, this video would assist the NTSB in providing safety recommendations to prevent future maritime disasters.”
Healey is asking the Navy for expertise and resources in the retrieval of that video equipment in the hopes it will provide information to understand what led to the sinking of the vessel and help ensure future crews’ safety. She also asked that the Navy asses “the feasibility of recovering the remains of lost crew members in keeping with the wishes of each of their families.”
She continues, “With your partnership, our goal is to uncover all facts related to this incident and bring closure to the families of the F/V Lily Jean while improving safety for those who choose to carry on this beloved tradition in the future.”
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