The seventh member of the F/V Lily Jean has been identified as Jada Samitt, age 22, from Virginia.
Jada relocated to Massachusetts to study environmental biology, graduated last year, and her first major job was becoming a member of the crew—a dream of hers. Family members, including her aunt Heather Michaels, described her as a beautiful, compassionate soul who loved and respected her captain and put her heart and soul into this opportunity at sea. Reports indicate she served as part of the NOAA observer role aboard the vessel.
The Lily Jean, homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) around 6:50 a.m. Friday morning while returning home.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel went unanswered. A debris field and an unoccupied life raft associated with the Lily Jean were located near the EPIRB site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor.
The other six crew members who perished aboard are as follows:
1. John Paul Rousanidis, age 33, from Salem/Peabody, MA;
2. Sean Therrien, age 44, from Lynn/Peabody, MA;
3. Freeman Short from the Marshfield/Scituate area;
4. Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a known Gloucester fisherman;
5. Deckhand Paul Beal Sr. and his son;
6. Deckhand Paul Beal Jr.