Authorities Deploy Deep-Sea Tech to Find Sunken Fishing Boat Off Massachusetts

Efforts to locate the wreck of the Lily Jean and recover victims' bodies hampered by winter weather and sea conditions

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A coalition of authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, and Massachusetts Environmental Police, is using advanced technology like side-scan sonar and remotely operated vehicles in an effort to locate the wreck of the 72-foot fishing vessel Lily Jean, which sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts last month, killing all seven people aboard. However, the deep waters and harsh winter weather have so far slowed their search efforts.

Why it matters

The sinking of the Lily Jean has devastated the close-knit fishing community of Gloucester, America's oldest seaport, which has a long history of maritime tragedies. Recovering the wreck and the victims' bodies is crucial for providing closure and answers to the grieving families and the broader community.

The details

The Lily Jean was returning to port on January 30th to repair fishing gear when it sank in over 300 feet of frigid Atlantic waters off Cape Ann. The U.S. Coast Guard initially launched a search and rescue mission after receiving an alert from the vessel, but only found a debris field and an empty life raft. The search was suspended the next day. Authorities are now using side-scan sonar to try to detect anomalies on the ocean floor, and hope to deploy a remotely operated vehicle to gather photos and video, but rough seas have made that challenging so far.

  • The Lily Jean sank on January 30, 2026.
  • The Coast Guard search and rescue mission was suspended the following day on January 31, 2026.

The players

Lily Jean

A 72-foot fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, killing all seven people aboard.

U.S. Coast Guard

The federal agency leading the search and recovery efforts for the sunken Lily Jean.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

A federal agency participating in the coalition to locate the wreck of the Lily Jean and recover the victims' bodies.

Massachusetts Environmental Police

A state agency deploying side-scan sonar technology as part of the search efforts.

Bruce Tarr

Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader representing Gloucester, who spoke at a news conference about the community's grief over the tragedy.

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What they’re saying

“One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing. Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort.”

— Bruce Tarr, Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader (ksgf.com)

“As of now, hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened. But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning.”

— Ricky Beal, Brother of victim Paul Beal Sr. (ksgf.com)

What’s next

Environmental police plan to continue using side-scan sonar to search for the wreck, and hope to deploy a remotely operated vehicle if weather and sea conditions improve.

The takeaway

This tragedy has deeply impacted the tight-knit fishing community of Gloucester, which has a long history of maritime disasters. Recovering the wreck and victims' bodies is crucial for providing closure and answers to the grieving families and the broader community.