Authorities are using deep-sea tech to try to find the sunken fishing boat off Massachusetts

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A coalition of authorities is deploying technology to try to locate the wreck of a fishing boat that sank last month off Massachusetts, killing all seven aboard. But winter weather and sea conditions have thus far slowed their efforts.

The 72-foot (22-meter) vessel Lily Jean was returning to port early Jan. 30 to repair fishing gear when it sank in frigid Atlantic waters off the historic fishing port of Gloucester. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Massachusetts Environmental Police, are cooperating to try to find the wreck of the ship and potentially recover the bodies of the deceased, officials said Wednesday.

The Lily Jean sank in waters that were more than 300 feet deep and very inhospitable in winter. Environmental police have deployed side-scan sonar to try to gather data and detect anomalies on the ocean floor, officials said. They said they also hope to be able to send a remotely operated vehicle to the site to gather photos and video, but seas have thus far made that challenging.

Officials will provide updates to the community that is still grieving the loss of the victims, said Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican of Gloucester.

“One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing," Tarr said during a news conference on Wednesday. “Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort.”

The Coast Guard initially launched a search and rescue mission after receiving an alert from the vessel about 25 miles (40 kilometers) off Cape Ann. Searchers found a debris field near where the alert was sent along with a body in the water and an empty life raft, the Coast Guard said. The search was suspended the following day, and the community has rallied around the families of the victims since.

Gloucester is America's oldest seaport and is well known for its close-knit fishing community. The book and movie “The Perfect Storm” were inspired by the FV Andrea Gail, which went missing at sea in 1991.

Coast Guard officials identified the victims of the sinking of the Lily Jean as captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien. Also aboard was Jada Samitt, a fisheries observer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Ricky Beal, brother of Paul Beal Sr., said during Wednesday's news conference that he is hopeful the investigation will help families in the community better understand what happened. He also encouraged anyone following the investigation not to spread false information about it.

"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,” Beal said.

The Lily Jean, Sanfilippo, and his crew were featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel show “Nor’Easter Men.” The captain is described as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman, out of Gloucester, in the Georges Bank. The crew is shown working in dangerous weather conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days offshore catching haddock, lobster and flounder.

Whittle reported from Portland, Maine.

U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Boston, Captain of the Port and Commander Jamie Frederick, right, speaks during a news conference about the commercial fishing vessel, the Lily Jean, that sank off Gloucester, as Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey listens, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Gloucester, Mass. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi)

The group of 15 backcountry skiers was on a three-day trek organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides into pristine wilderness near Frog Lake in California's Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe.

The skiers carried in their own food and overnighted in huts situated at 7,600 feet (3,415 meters) in Tahoe National Forest.

“If you’ve booked the Frog Lake Huts in Truckee, trust our guides to elevate your trip to the next level,” the business said on its website, advertising the trip. “We’ll navigate in and out of the huts, manage the risks, and find the best terrain and snow quality for you and your group!”

On Tuesday, the group was trapped by an avalanche. Authorities said Wednesday that eight people were killed and one person remained missing. Six skiers were rescued after sheltering in place for hours as crews battled blizzard conditions.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement that it was coordinating with authorities. It said the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred near Castle Peak.

The company, with offices in California and Washington state, offers mountaineering and backcountry ski trips across the U.S. West Coast as well as in Europe and Japan. The tour outfit also offers safety courses like wilderness skills and first aid.

The rugged terrain where the skiers died had been closed to the public for a century before the Truckee Donner Land Trust bought it and opened the huts, which are outfitted with basic accommodations such as sleeping pads, gas stoves and flush toilets.

An avalanche watch had been issued early Sunday as a powerful winter storm moved into the state. The Sierra Avalanche Center issued a more severe avalanche warning for the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday with large slides expected into Wednesday.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said investigators would look into the decision to proceed with the trip despite the forecast for relentless weather.

“We’re still in conversation with them on the decision factors that they made,” Moon said at a Wednesday news conference announcing the deaths.

The sheriff said the search occurred during “horrific conditions” in an area where rescue missions are common.

The tour was rated for intermediate-to-expert skiers who should be prepared to climb up to 2,500 vertical feet (760 meters) throughout the course of a day, according to the company’s website. Guides carry first aid kits and “wag bags” for human waste disposal, but participants must bring their own ski equipment and avalanche gear, including a beacon, shovel and probe.

“Generally our guides are able to find excellent backcountry snow conditions, but often we need to travel through difficult conditions to access the goods,” the website description said. “This requires riders to be adept with their backcountry touring skills and have a solid foundation of touring before the trip.”

Rapidly accumulating snow piling on fragile snowpack layers, along with strong winds, contributed to the treacherous conditions.

The town of Soda Springs, near where the avalanche took place, recorded at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow during a 24-hour period, according to the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.

Associated Press writer Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report.

A street is covered in snow on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Truckee Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)