GLOUCESTER, Mass. — An active rescue operation is underway for a missing fishing vessel in Gloucester.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, crews received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon from a fishing vessel 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, Friday morning.
At approximately 6:50 a.m., Coast Guard watchstanders received an alert registered to the 72-foot fishing vessel ‘Lily Jean’.
The total number of people aboard the vessel is unknown.
The Coast Guard attempted to contact the vessel with no response and issued an urgent marine information broadcast.
A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod and a small boat crew from Station Gloucester were sent to search the area.
The rescue crews located a debris field in the vicinity of the EPIRB activation.
One unresponsive body was recovered from the water, the Coast Guard says.
A life raft associated with the vessel was found, but unoccupied, and search efforts are ongoing.
The ship, 'Lily Jean’, is a trawler designed for deep-sea fishing.
The mayor’s office told Boston 25 that officials are “deeply concerned.”
No additional information has been released.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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