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Gloucester Today
By the People, for the People
Authorities Use Deep-Sea Tech to Search for 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 deploying 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 on board. However, the deep waters and harsh winter conditions 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 deadly maritime disasters. Recovering the wreck and the victims' bodies is crucial for providing closure to the grieving families and the 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 following 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 day after the sinking.
The players
Lily Jean
A 72-foot fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, killing all seven people on board.
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 search and recovery efforts for the Lily Jean.
Massachusetts Environmental Police
A state agency deploying side-scan sonar technology to try to locate the wreck of the Lily Jean.
Bruce Tarr
The Republican Senate Minority Leader from Gloucester, Massachusetts, who is providing updates to the community on the search efforts.
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 (wbal.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. (wbal.com)
What’s next
Officials say they will continue to provide updates to the Gloucester community as the search and recovery efforts progress.
The takeaway
This tragedy has deeply impacted the close-knit fishing community of Gloucester, which has a long history of deadly maritime disasters. Recovering the wreck and victims' bodies is crucial for providing closure, but the harsh winter conditions have so far hampered these efforts.
