Coast Guard Investigating Deaths of Reality TV Star Fisherman and His Crew

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is investigating the death of fishing boat captain and reality TV star Gus Sanfilippo, who died last week when his vessel capsized in Massachusetts (per CBS News).

Sanfilippo was the veteran captain of the Lilly Jean, which operated out of Gloucester, and a cast member on the reality show Nor’Easter Men. He died along with five of his fellow crew members and a NOAA fisheries observer when the 72-foot vessel capsized on Friday night as temperatures dipped to approximately 12 degrees Fahrenheit. The other victims have been identified as father and son Paul Beal Sr. and Paul Beal Jr.; John Rousanidis; Freeman Short; Sean Thierren; and 22-year-old NOAA observer Jada Sammitt, who recently graduated from an environmental biology program.

The Coast Guard will oversee the investigation from this point on. “The purpose of a Coast Guard investigation is to identify measures that can improve the safety of life and property at sea, not to assign civil or criminal blame,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brett Igo, the USCG Northeast District investigation oversight coordinator. Igo added that the investigation is expected to last several months, and that information will be released to the public as it becomes available.

Rescuers Eventually Called Off the Search

Rescue officials responded to a distress call at around 7 a.m. local time on Jan. 30 roughly 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann. After officials were unable to make contact with the crew, the Coast Guard issued an emergency alert and sent a helicopter along with a boat crew to the location. Rescuers found one person dead floating amongst debris of the Lilly Jean, though they have not confirmed whose body was found. Search and rescue efforts were suspended the following day after workers had searched a 1,000-square-mile radius and exhausted all efforts. All of the boat's seven occupants were officially declared dead later that day.

“The decision to suspend the search was incredibly difficult,” said Capt. Jamie Frederick, commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston. “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.” 

Sebastian Noto, a fellow fisherman who worked closely with Sanfillipo, told NBC Boston that he spoke with his friend just hours before his death. “‘I quit. It’s too cold,’” Sanfilippo reportedly told Noto. “He was calm. He just couldn’t do the cold because the air holes were freezing.” “I was about 30 miles east of him,” Noto continued. “We usually work together all the time. We are like glue, man. We give a lot of information back-and-forth.”