GLOUCESTER, MASS. — The captain of the ‘Lily Jean,’ the vessel that sank on Friday morning, has been identified as Gus Sanfilippo.
In a press conference on Saturday, the Coast Guard announced that it would be suspending its emergency search of the vessel. Seven people were aboard the Lily Jean.
One body was discovered on Friday, and 6 others remain missing.
Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick called it an “incredibly difficult’ decision, after members of the Coast Guard spent all day Friday into Saturday searching for the victims.
Two other victims have been identified by family members as Jada Samitt, who was an observer on the Lily Jean, and crewmember John Paul Rousanidis.
Gus Sanfilippo and his crew were featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel show Nor’Easter Men.
A friend of Gus told Boston 25 that he taught him everything he knows about fishing.
“You don’t think that someone like him that’s been around for so long doing it...that it would happen like that,” he said.
“He took me under his wing 12 years ago, he let me come on the boat and taught me basically everything I know now,” he added.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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