A TV-famous fisherman who tragically died at sea alongside his crew of six has been laid to rest.
Capt. Gus Sanfilippo, known for his appearance on the History Channel’s Nor’Easter Men, is mourned by friends and family, leaving Gloucester’s tight-knit fishing community — and all of New England — in deep grief
Found an empty life raft
Gus Sanfilippo, his crew, and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fishery observer were aboard the 72-foot fishing boat Lily Jean when the U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency radio beacon alert on January 30th, according to the Daily Mail.
The Coast Guard said the distress signal came from the Lily Jean. After repeated attempts to contact the crew failed, rescue teams were dispatched, including a helicopter and a rescue boat.
When they reached the scene, crews found a debris field, an empty life raft, and one person deceased in the water. Officials have not yet released the identity of the victim. The remaining six men aboard the vessel are presumed dead, per the Daily Mail.
Coast Guard Commander Timothy Jones said search efforts continued through the night despite treacherous conditions, with freezing sea spray posing serious risks to both the missing vessel and rescue crews.
