Massachusetts’ Appeal for Navy Help Retrieving Lily Jean Crew Remains Hits a Snag

In the early hours of a cold January day last year, the fishing boat Lily Jean went down off Cape Ann, taking seven Gloucester‑based crew members with her. The tragedy still lingers in the community, and families are still waiting for answers.

Fast forward to May, and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, alongside Senator Bruce Tarr, formally wrote to Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. The letter asked the Navy to assess whether it could safely retrieve the six bodies still resting about 320 feet beneath the Atlantic, as well as any valuable equipment still on board.

"We understand the risks and the cost," Governor Healey wrote, "but we believe the investment is worth the closure it would bring to grieving families, and the lessons it could teach for future vessel safety." The request seemed clear, and the officials expected a response within days.

Yet weeks turned into months, and the promised reply never arrived. After several follow‑up calls by NewsCenter 5, a Navy spokesperson finally broke the silence on a Saturday. The official said the Department of the Navy had already explained the proper paperwork for a salvage request, but, oddly enough, “to date no formal request has been received.”

That answer left the Commonwealth in a peculiar bind. The Governor’s office told reporters that they are still waiting for a Navy response, while the Navy insists the ball is now in the state’s court. Karissa Hand, a spokesperson for Gov. Healey, reiterated that the administration “continues to hope the request will be granted” and that they are exploring every other avenue to bring the crew’s loved ones some measure of peace.

Only one of the seven fishermen—Freeman Short—has been recovered so far. The remaining six lie in the cold depths, their families torn between wanting a proper burial and fearing the danger of a complex underwater operation. “These are hardworking people who were feeding their families,” said Tiffany Leigh, the girlfriend of Short. “We owe it to them to bring them home.”

Meanwhile, officials are also looking at the potential to recover critical equipment that could shed light on why the vessel capsized in the first place. The hope is that any findings could help prevent a repeat of this sorrowful event for other Massachusetts fishermen.

As of now, the state’s request sits in a limbo of bureaucratic back‑and‑forth, and the families remain caught in an agonizing waiting game. Whether the Navy will eventually step in, or the Commonwealth will pursue alternative solutions, remains to be seen. What’s clear is that the community’s resolve hasn’t wavered; they continue to press for answers, for dignity, and for the chance to lay their loved ones to rest.