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Coast Guard Finds Unresponsive Fisherman Amid Search for TV-Famous Vessel & Crew Lost in Brutal East Coast Storm!

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Fishing boat, the 72-foot Lily Jean, was sailing off Cape Ann, Mass., when authorities were alerted that it was missing.

Around 6:50 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert, according to a USCG news release. The agency attempted to contact the vessel but received no response, prompting the issuance of an urgent marine information broadcast.

Several local agencies, including the USCG’s Air Station Cape Cod, Station Gloucester and Cutter Thunder Bay, were recruited to assist in the search. A “debris field” near the EPIRB activation was located by the search teams.

One unresponsive body and an unoccupied life raft associated with the vessel were found.

The USCG’s search efforts remain ongoing. USCG’s Timothy Jones said the search will continue throughout the night, with hopes of finding more people. Republican State Sen. Bruce Tarr confirmed seven people were on the vessel, ABC 4 reports.

PEOPLE reached out to USCG for comment.

Fishing boat sinks off Gloucester

Flowers are seen placed at the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial in Gloucester, Mass. on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

The Lily Jean fishing vessel is best known for being featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel’s Nor’Easter Men. Throughout the episode, the fishing crew is filmed fishing for haddock, lobster and flounder in dangerous weather conditions for extended periods of time.

The episode highlighted its captain, Gus Sanfilippo, who is a fifth-generation commercial fisherman.

On Friday, Jan. 30, Tarr said Sanfilippo is “very, very skilled at what he does,” ABC 4 reports. “He’s a person that has a big smile, and he gives you a warm embrace when he sees you.”

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“I’m going to make a prediction. Tonight, tomorrow and the days that follow, you’re going to see strength. The strength that has made this the most historic fishing port in the United States of America,” Tarr said in reference to Gloucester, Mass., which has been described as a seaport that has been functioning for over 400 years.

“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, according to WMTW.

Local business owner Ashley Sullivan told the outlet the incident is “very emotional and very heartbreaking.” She added, “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.”

Fishing boat sinks off Gloucester

Fishing boat sinks off Gloucester, MA.Visions of America/ Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty

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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey released a statement expressing that she is “heartbroken over the devastating news.”

“I am praying for the crew, and my heart goes out to their loved ones and all Gloucester fishing families during this awful time,” she said. “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.”

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MAYA’S HEROIC STAND: THE THREE-WORD SILENCE 🕊️📱 “A MOTHER’S LONGEST WAIT. The story of 12-year-old Maya Gebala has taken an even more emotional turn. Known now as the hero who tried to lock the library door to save her classmates at Tumbler Ridge, Maya remains in a fight for her very life. 🛡️🥀 While her mother sits by her side, aching to hear the simple sound of her daughter calling out ‘Mama,’ a chilling discovery has emerged from the moments before the tragedy. It was a three-word message, sent by Maya just as the nightmare began—a message so powerful and selfless that it has silenced everyone who has read it. 💬💔 In the face of pure terror, Maya’s last words weren’t for herself; they were for those she loved. What were those three words, and how do they redefine everything we know about her bravery? The full, heartbreaking update and the mother’s message from the hospital are in the comments below.

MAYA’S LAST MESSAGE: 12-year-old Maya Gebala tried to lock the library door to save her friends before the…

**”A MOTHER’S SILENT AGONY. We are now learning the devastating truth of 12-year-old Maya Gebala’s final moments before the nightmare at Tumbler Ridge. While she is hailed as a hero for trying to lock the library door to save her friends, it is her final communication that has left the world breathless. 🥀🛡️ As Maya fights for her life in the ICU, her mother waits in heartbreak, longing to hear her daughter call out ‘Mama’ once again. But it is the three-word message Maya sent just before the incident that has silenced everyone who has seen it. It wasn’t a plea—it was a testament to her courage. What did those three words say, and why have they left investigators in tears? The full, emotional story behind her final message and the latest update on her condition are linked in the comments below.
**”A MOTHER’S SILENT AGONY. We are now learning the devastating truth of 12-year-old Maya Gebala’s final moments before the nightmare at Tumbler Ridge. While she is hailed as a hero for trying to lock the library door to save her friends, it is her final communication that has left the world breathless. 🥀🛡️ As Maya fights for her life in the ICU, her mother waits in heartbreak, longing to hear her daughter call out ‘Mama’ once again. But it is the three-word message Maya sent just before the incident that has silenced everyone who has seen it. It wasn’t a plea—it was a testament to her courage. What did those three words say, and why have they left investigators in tears? The full, emotional story behind her final message and the latest update on her condition are linked in the comments below.

MAYA’S LAST MESSAGE: 12-year-old Maya Gebala tried to lock the library door to save her friends before the…

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JUST IN: THE MYSTERY OF ROOM 402. 🚨🏨 “A cheerleading competition in Las Vegas turned into a nightmare when Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, never arrived. Police have just breached their hotel room, and what they found is sending chills across the country. 📣💔 The room was undisturbed, except for one thing: a small scrap of paper on the nightstand. It contained a 2-3 word letter, scrawled in urgent red pen, that has completely shifted the investigation. Sources say the message is ‘shattering.’ 🖊️🛑 Investigators are now racing to trace the final hours before that red pen hit the paper. Was it a plea for help or a final goodbye? The full police briefing and the haunting details of that letter are linked below.

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“In a move that puts humanity before headlines, Craig Melvin has paused his major broadcast plans to stand in solidarity with Savannah Guthrie. As her family endures the agonizing search for her mother, Craig’s choice is a powerful reminder of what truly matters. 🕊️ No medals, no cameras—just the quiet strength of showing up for a friend when the world feels like it’s falling apart. In a fast-paced industry, he’s proving that the bravest decision is simply being there. This is more than a professional bond; it’s a lifeline of support. See the full story behind this moving gesture in the comments.

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**”THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. New details from that nightmare at Tumbler Ridge High School have revealed the true heroism of 12-year-old Maya Gebala. Maya wasn’t just a victim—she was a protector. She was desperately trying to lock the library door to save her fellow students when she was forced to dive under a table for cover. It was there that she was struck by bullets in the head and neck. Airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital, Maya remains in critical condition, facing a reality no child should endure. A bullet remains lodged in her body, and shards are still scattered in her brain.

12-Year-Old Maya Gebala Remains in Critical Condition After Protecting Classmates in Tumbler Ridge Tragedy According to accounts shared…

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**”A HERO’S FINAL STAND. The world is just now learning the terrifying truth of what happened inside the library at Tumbler Ridge High. 12-year-old Maya Gebala didn’t just hide—she stood her ground. Maya was desperately trying to lock the library door to shield her classmates when the unthinkable happened. Forced to seek cover under a table at the last second, she was struck in the head and neck. Now, at BC Children’s Hospital, Maya is fighting a battle that no child should ever face. With a bullet still lodged in her body and shards remaining in her brain, she remains in critical condition—but she is NOT giving up.

12-Year-Old Maya Gebala Remains in Critical Condition After Protecting Classmates in Tumbler Ridge Tragedy According to accounts shared…