The U.S. Coast Guard found a body in the debris of a sunken fishing vessel off the northern coast of Massachusetts, and five people remain missing.Coast Guard officials said watchstanders received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert at about 6:50 a.m. Friday. The alert was registered to the 72-foot fishing vessel Lily Jean, which was 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann.The Coast Guard attempted to contact the vessel with no response and issued an urgent marine information broadcast.A Coast Guard spokesperson told WMTW sister station WCVB that six people were on board the vessel.Watchstanders directed an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod and a small boat crew from the Coast Guard station in Gloucester to search the area. The Coast Guard Cutter Thunder Bay was also diverted to assist in the search effort.Officials said rescue crews found a debris field in the area where the EPIRB alert was activated, and recovered an unresponsive body from the water.A life raft associated with Lily Jean was found, but officials said no one was on the raft.Officials said search efforts are ongoing and the Coast Guard will provide updates as more details become available.The Lily Jean was featured on the History Channel program “Nor’Easter Men.”Grief has stricken the tight-knit Gloucester fishing community.Local business owner Ashley Sullivan told NewsCenter 5 she knows the owner of the fishing vessel.”I hope everyone takes a step back and really looks at sacrifices these men make on a day to day basis just to put food on our table,” she said. “It’s very emotional and very heartbreaking.”State Sen. Bruce Tarr also expressed his sympathies.”Gloucester has a long fishing history and that fishing history includes tragic loss, and it appears we’re suffering another one of those right now,” he said.Gov. Maura Healey released a statement, saying in part:”I’m heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester about the sinking of the Lily Jean and have offered our full support to Mayor Lundberg, Harbormaster Lucido and the Coast Guard. I am praying for the crew, and my heart goes out to their loved ones and all Gloucester fishing families during this awful time. Fishermen and fishing vessels are core to the history, economy and culture of Gloucester and Cape Ann, and this tragedy is felt all across the state.”
The U.S. Coast Guard found a body in the debris of a sunken fishing vessel off the northern coast of Massachusetts, and five people remain missing.
Coast Guard officials said watchstanders received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert at about 6:50 a.m. Friday. The alert was registered to the 72-foot fishing vessel Lily Jean, which was 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann.
The Coast Guard attempted to contact the vessel with no response and issued an urgent marine information broadcast.
A Coast Guard spokesperson told WMTW sister station WCVB that six people were on board the vessel.
Watchstanders directed an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod and a small boat crew from the Coast Guard station in Gloucester to search the area. The Coast Guard Cutter Thunder Bay was also diverted to assist in the search effort.
Officials said rescue crews found a debris field in the area where the EPIRB alert was activated, and recovered an unresponsive body from the water.
A life raft associated with Lily Jean was found, but officials said no one was on the raft.
Officials said search efforts are ongoing and the Coast Guard will provide updates as more details become available.
The Lily Jean was featured on the History Channel program “Nor’Easter Men.”
Grief has stricken the tight-knit Gloucester fishing community.
Local business owner Ashley Sullivan told NewsCenter 5 she knows the owner of the fishing vessel.
“I hope everyone takes a step back and really looks at sacrifices these men make on a day to day basis just to put food on our table,” she said. “It’s very emotional and very heartbreaking.”
State Sen. Bruce Tarr also expressed his sympathies.
“Gloucester has a long fishing history and that fishing history includes tragic loss, and it appears we’re suffering another one of those right now,” he said.
Gov. Maura Healey released a statement, saying in part:
“I’m heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester about the sinking of the Lily Jean and have offered our full support to Mayor Lundberg, Harbormaster Lucido and the Coast Guard. I am praying for the crew, and my heart goes out to their loved ones and all Gloucester fishing families during this awful time. Fishermen and fishing vessels are core to the history, economy and culture of Gloucester and Cape Ann, and this tragedy is felt all across the state.”