‘Very generous, very happy’: sister of Gloucester fishing vessel crew member remembers brother

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — The sister of one of the crew members of the ‘Lily Jane’ fishing vessel, which was lost 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, remembers her brother.

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 Jane. One body was discovered on Friday, and 6 others remain missing.

Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick called it an "incredibly difficult' decision.

33-year-old John Paul Rousanidis was aboard the Lily Jane. His sister says that he was a very generous, very happy person.

“He would help you if you had a foot in the hole,” his sister said.

Rousanidis was aboard the vessel for about a year and a half. He was an outdoorsman who loved the sea and fishing and loved to box.

The investigation into the sinking of the vessel remains ongoing, with officials saying to expect more details on Monday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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