NEWS

CHILLING LAST WORDS: Friend Reveals Captain’s Agonizing Final Phone Call Before His Boat Sank — Search Now Halted

hoanghuyen Avatar

Posted by

hoanghuyen

-

A fisherman recounted his final call with Gus Sanfilippo, captain of the Lily Jean, which took place just hours before the boat sank off the coast of Gloucester, Mass.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert in regard to the 72-foot fishing vessel on Friday, Jan. 30, according to a USCG news release. While the agency attempted to contact the vessel, a lack of response prompted the issuance of an urgent marine information broadcast.

Seven people were reported to be onboard the vessel.  One unresponsive body and an unoccupied life raft associated with the vessel were found, according to the USCG.

Captain Sebastian Noto, a friend of Lily Jean’s captain, told NBC10 Boston that he spoke with Sanfilippo just hours before tragedy struck.

Fishing boat sinks off Gloucester

Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial in Gloucester, Mass.AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

“I was about 30 miles east of him,” he told the outlet. “We usually work together all the time. We are like glue man. We give a lot of information back-and-forth.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On the day that the Lily Jean sank, Noto recalled talking to Sanfilippo around 3 a.m. and hearing him say, “I quit. It’s too cold.”

“He was calm,” he added of the ship’s captain. “He just couldn’t do the cold because the air holes was freezing.”

When he realized that there was no sign of his friend several hours later, Noto quickly realized that they were looking at a “serious situation.” And if he were to guess what led to the tragic incident, he suspected it could have been a result of the bilge pump malfunctioning.

“Just a guess, I could be wrong you know because even if the bilge is taking water, you got plenty of time to call Mayday,” he noted. “You got plenty of time to get into the survival suit, life raft. The boat takes time to sink.”

Although six people from the ship remain missing, the USCG announced on Jan. 31 that, after covering “approximately 1,047 square miles over 24 hours using multiple aircraft, cutter and small boats,” all reasonable efforts had been exhausted and the search would be suspended.

“The decision to suspend the search was incredibly difficult,” Capt. Jamie Frederick, commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston, wrote in a press release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family members and friends of the lost crew of the Lilly Jean, and with the entire Gloucester community during this heartbreaking time.”

THE WEIGHT OF SACRIFICE: MAYA’S BRUTAL TRUTH 🛡️🥀 “A HERO TO THE WORLD, A DAUGHTER IN THE DARK. While the nation hails 12-year-old Maya Gebala as the guardian of Tumbler Ridge High, the reality inside BC Children’s Hospital is far more shattering. Maya isn’t just a headline—she is a child fighting a grueling, uphill battle for every single breath. 🏥🩺 The ‘miracle’ we’ve all been praying for has been met with a devastating reality check. Maya’s mother has broken her silence to share the ‘terrifying warnings’ from her medical team. Beyond the stories of her bravery lies a brutal truth about the long-term neurological damage caused by that day’s senseless violence. 📉🧠 The scars you can’t see are the ones that hurt the most. Maya stood in the gap to protect her friends; now, she needs us to stand in the gap for her. You need to see the full medical breakdown and the specific warning that has left her family heartbroken today.
THE WEIGHT OF SACRIFICE: MAYA’S BRUTAL TRUTH 🛡️🥀 “A HERO TO THE WORLD, A DAUGHTER IN THE DARK. While the nation hails 12-year-old Maya Gebala as the guardian of Tumbler Ridge High, the reality inside BC Children’s Hospital is far more shattering. Maya isn’t just a headline—she is a child fighting a grueling, uphill battle for every single breath. 🏥🩺 The ‘miracle’ we’ve all been praying for has been met with a devastating reality check. Maya’s mother has broken her silence to share the ‘terrifying warnings’ from her medical team. Beyond the stories of her bravery lies a brutal truth about the long-term neurological damage caused by that day’s senseless violence. 📉🧠 The scars you can’t see are the ones that hurt the most. Maya stood in the gap to protect her friends; now, she needs us to stand in the gap for her. You need to see the full medical breakdown and the specific warning that has left her family heartbroken today.

**”A HERO’S HEART VS. A MOTHER’S TEARS. The world knows her as the 12-year-old unsung hero who saved…

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 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…

UST NOW: THE LAS VEGAS HOTEL MYSTERY. 🚨🏨 “Authorities have finally released the chilling details of what was found inside a Las Vegas hotel room after cheerleader Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, failed to show up for their competition. 📣💔 While their belongings remained, investigators discovered something that has left the entire department shaken: a haunting, 2-3 word letter written in jagged red pen. 🖊️🛑 This brief, cryptic message has turned a missing persons case into a high-stakes race against time. What do those few words mean, and why were they written in red? The police are calling this the most disturbing piece of evidence yet. See the full report and the mystery of the ‘Red Pen’ letter in the comments below.
UST NOW: THE LAS VEGAS HOTEL MYSTERY. 🚨🏨 “Authorities have finally released the chilling details of what was found inside a Las Vegas hotel room after cheerleader Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, failed to show up for their competition. 📣💔 While their belongings remained, investigators discovered something that has left the entire department shaken: a haunting, 2-3 word letter written in jagged red pen. 🖊️🛑 This brief, cryptic message has turned a missing persons case into a high-stakes race against time. What do those few words mean, and why were they written in red? The police are calling this the most disturbing piece of evidence yet. See the full report and the mystery of the ‘Red Pen’ letter in the comments below.

SAD NEWS: Police have just released the identity of the suspect in the case of Tawnia McGeehan and…

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.
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.

SAD NEWS: Police have just released the identity of the suspect in the case of Tawnia McGeehan and…

“A CHILLING BREAKTHROUGH. Police have confirmed that Savannah Guthrie’s mother’s signature blue necklace was located just 500 meters from the family home—a find that briefly ignited hope before plunging the case into even darker territory. 🥀🏛️ Officers swiftly cordoned off the area for an intensive forensic examination, calling it the most significant development yet. Fingerprints and DNA lifted from the necklace were fast-tracked for urgent analysis, and the results have left everyone shattered: the DNA matched a person that has left investigators and the family completely stunned. 🧬💔 The revelation has intensified the anguish and raised urgent new questions about what really happened in those shadows. The investigation has taken a shocking turn that no one saw coming. Full developments and the identity of the stunning DNA match are in the comments below.
“A CHILLING BREAKTHROUGH. Police have confirmed that Savannah Guthrie’s mother’s signature blue necklace was located just 500 meters from the family home—a find that briefly ignited hope before plunging the case into even darker territory. 🥀🏛️ Officers swiftly cordoned off the area for an intensive forensic examination, calling it the most significant development yet. Fingerprints and DNA lifted from the necklace were fast-tracked for urgent analysis, and the results have left everyone shattered: the DNA matched a person that has left investigators and the family completely stunned. 🧬💔 The revelation has intensified the anguish and raised urgent new questions about what really happened in those shadows. The investigation has taken a shocking turn that no one saw coming. Full developments and the identity of the stunning DNA match are in the comments below.

Late last night, police confirmed that a blue necklace believed to belong to her was reported around 500 meters from the…

“After months of fighting for her twin daughters, the former Little Mix star has watched her SMA1 newborn screening petition hit 100,000 signatures—officially forcing a debate in Parliament. 🏛️ Jesy called it a moment she never imagined reaching… not because of fame, but because of fear, love, and a mother’s desperation to protect her babies. What began as one family’s heartbreak has now become a national fight—for early diagnosis, for fragile futures, and for every newborn who deserves a chance to survive.
“After months of fighting for her twin daughters, the former Little Mix star has watched her SMA1 newborn screening petition hit 100,000 signatures—officially forcing a debate in Parliament. 🏛️ Jesy called it a moment she never imagined reaching… not because of fame, but because of fear, love, and a mother’s desperation to protect her babies. What began as one family’s heartbreak has now become a national fight—for early diagnosis, for fragile futures, and for every newborn who deserves a chance to survive.

The moment didn’t happen on a stage or in a recording studio. It happened in a small room,…