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Massachusetts
TV star fisherman, crew all presumed dead after boat sinks off Massachusetts coast
The TV star fisherman and his crew who went missing off the coast of Massachusetts after their boat sank in the midst of dangerous winter weather plaguing the East Coast, have been presumed dead.
The search for Capt. Gus Sanfilippo, his crew and a fishery observer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was called off Saturday, officials said.
Sanfilippo —- a fifth generation commercial fisherman out of Gloucester, Massachusetts — was featured alongside his crew on the Lily Jean in a 2012 episode of the History Channel show ‘Nor’Easter Men.’
The show documented Sanfilippo and his crew working in dangerous conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days at sea on one fishing trip.
The group, which according to the Daily Mail is now considered lost, was on board the 72-foot boat early Friday when the Coast Guard received a radio beacon alert.
The beacon alert — which is a distress device that transmits a signal via satellites to rescuers when a vessel is in danger — was registered to Sanfilippo’s boat, the Lily Jean.
The Coast Guard issued an emergency alert after not being able to make contact with the crew, and sent a helicopter and boat crew to the location, according to the agency.
Rescuers found one person dead, floating in the water amongst debris and an empty lifeboat when they arrived at the location.
The rest of the crew has not been publicly identified. The Coast Guard did not immediately return a request for comment.
Coast Guard Commander Timothy Jones, who led the initial search effort, noted that sea spray was freezing on vessels in the area and caused a serious danger to both the missing fishing crew and rescuers.
Search and rescue crews covered around 1,000 square miles of the ocean trying to locate the missing six crew members — using multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats in the 24 hours since the boat fatefully sank, The Associated Press reported.
After consultation between search and rescue mission coordinators and on-scene commanders, the Coast Guard determined on Saturday that all reasonable search efforts for the missing crew members had been exhausted.
Jamie Frederick, the Coast Guard’s Sector Commander, said that the chilling temps, winter conditions and the vast nature of the ocean makes finding survivors at night a difficult task — and even more so with the incoming nor’easter set to hit the East Coast this weekend.
“That is the equivalent of searching for a coconut in the ocean,” Frederick said.
The National Weather Service said that winds at sea were around 27 mph, with waves reaching around four feet high at the time the emergency alert was issued yesterday.
The temperature at sea where the boat sank was 12 degrees — with a water temperature of about 39 degrees.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Friday it was aware that one of their fishery observers — who collected data on board of fishing boats for the government to use to inform regulations — was on board at the time it sank.
Commercial fishing is often cited as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, especially in New England — with winter bringing even more danger from high waves, chilling temps and unpredictable weather patterns.
Vito Giacalone, head of the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, warned that deep-sea fishing can be a hazardous and tough living to begin with and that “it’s as safe as the elements and all of the things allow it to be.”
“Gus was a very seasoned experienced fisherman,” Giacalone said, knowing Sanfilippo as a hard worker from a fishing family from his early captain’s days.
Giacalone said that he and the longstanding fishing industry in Gloucester are distraught by the news.
“He did well for himself. I was proud of him,” Giacalone said.
“And now the dock we own, he ties his boat at the dock so we see him every day. He’s been to all my kids’´weddings. That’s how close we were. I feel a sense of loss. A lot of us do.”
Republican State Senator Bruce Tarr — a good friend of Sanfilippo’s — confirmed that seven people were onboard of the boat and was emotional speaking of his missing friend.
“He’s a person that has a big smile, and he gives you a warm embrace when he sees you,’ Tarr said. ‘He is very, very skilled at what he does,” Tarr emotionally said, noting that ‘the fact the vessel now rests at the bottom of the ocean is very hard to understand’ given Sanfilippo’s experience.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy said she was “heartbroken” to hear about the boat’s sinking in a statement.
“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.
Everett Sawyer, 55, a close childhood friend of Sanfillippo,said he has known 25 people who have been lost at sea — and noted that dangerous winter conditions can present severe challenges for even the most experienced sailors.
“Things happen very quickly when you’re out in the ocean,” Sawyer said.
With Post wires
Local News
The legislation would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026.
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.
In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.
“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.
The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.
“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”
The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.
“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.
She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”
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Rhode Island bill proposes 24-hour bar hours during World Cup
In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.
Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.
The meteor responsible for a loud boom heard in Rhode Island and Massachusetts Saturday afternoon was approximately 5 feet in diameter and weighed more than 12,000 pounds, according to NASA.
The object entered Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 42,000 mph, a NASA spokesperson said. It then traveled through the atmosphere from northwest to southeast for 26 miles before breaking up and producing a meteorite fall into Cape Cod Bay.
The energy released when the object broke up at an altitude of 31 miles is estimated to be equivalent to about 230 tons of TNT, according to NASA.
Professor Ralph Milliken of the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Brown University spoke with NBC 10’s Mike Cerullo. (WJAR)
While it’s not very common to experience a 5-foot-wide meteorite, there is a significant amount of debris from space that reaches Earth.
“The estimates are that we probably have about 5,000 tons of cosmic dust and material and meteorites landing on Earth. The vast majority of that is super tiny stuff, we’re talking things that are smaller than a grain of sand, or the thickness of a human hair,” said Professor Ralph Milliken of the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Brown University. “For something of this size a few feet across, it’s not that common, but a few a year. Most of these would occur over uninhabited areas, over the ocean, and we wouldn’t be able to see them, but they are detected.”
Because of its size, a meteorite with a 5-foot diameter is difficult to track before it enter Earth’s atmosphere.
“It’s virtually impossible to kind of know in advance of this size object coming,” Milliken said.
The area where a meteorite crashed in Cape Cod Bay. (WJAR)
Scientists are, however, able to track much larger space objects. NASA has been developing technology to try to deflect larger objects if needed.
Events like what occurred in New England over the weekend are recorded. Although other fireballs enter Earth’s atmosphere throughout the year, many of them materialize over water and uninhabited areas.
Massachusetts
Winners’ circle: Tracking every 2026 spring high school championship – The Boston Globe
Championship season is upon us, and we’re tracking every title winner in Massachusetts this spring.
From the golf sectionals in late May to championship weekend June 11-14, a four-day stretch in which 31 titlists will be crowned across boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, boys and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ rugby, boys’ volleyball, softball, and baseball, we’ll have you covered.
Find all the dates, brackets, seedings, matchups, and links to our postseason previews here.
Follow us on X @GlobeSchools, Instagram @BGlobeSchools, and Facebook to stay up to date.
Over at Globe.com/Schools you’ll find our daily scoreboard, nightly Takeaways, game coverage, videos, live streams, and our weekly Varsity News newsletter (sign up for free) to keep you in the know.
Division 1: Lexington girls, St. John’s Prep boys
Lexington girls graduate to two-time Division 1 track champions, St. John’s Prep sprints to boys’ title
Division 2: Billerica girls, North Andover boys
Billerica girls unphazed by move up to Division 2, going back-to-back as North Andover boys dominate
Division 3: Canton girls, Walpole boys
Canton girls cap greatest season with first Division 3 track title, Walpole boys win by thinnest margin
Division 4: Duxbury girls, Newburyport boys
Historic win for Duxbury girls, Mohoric paces Newburyport boys to Division 4 outdoor track championship
Division 5: North Reading girls, Weston boys
It’s four in a row for North Reading girls, two straight for Weston boys at Division 5 track championships
Division 6: Ayer Shirley girls, Abington boys
Ayer Shirley girls pick up where they left off, Abington boys twinning at Division 6 track championships
Day 1, Divisions 1, 2, and 5: Lexington boys and girls setting the pace at Division 1 track & field championships
Day 1, Divisions 3, 4, and 6: Canton girls make a strong run to first at Division 3 track championships
South: Walpole | With Tori Adams as its driving force, Walpole scores third straight MIAA South girls’ golf championship
North/Central/West: Hopkinton | Concord-Carlisle’s Sophie Redmond, Hopkinton rule MIAA girls’ golf championship for North/Central/West
With titles for Natick and Peabody and smiles for all, MIAA unified track championship ‘beyond inspiring’
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
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