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Family members identify 2 more crewmembers of Lily Jean, sunken Gloucester fishing boat

By
Matt Schooley
Digital Producer, CBS Boston
Matt Schooley is a digital producer at CBS Boston. He has been a member of the WBZ news team for the last decade.
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Matt Schooley,
Mike Sullivan
Mike Sullivan
Mike Sullivan is a multimedia journalist for WBZ-TV.
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Mike Sullivan

/ CBS Boston

The Gloucester, Massachusetts fishing community continues to mourn as family members identified 2 more crewmembers lost at sea when the Lily Jean sank on Friday.

Crews from the U.S. Coach Guard launched early Friday morning after the vessel's emergency beacon activated about 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann just before 7 a.m. on Friday. The Coast Guard found a debris field, an empty life raft and one body.

Six others remain missing, and the Coast Guard called off the search on Saturday.

Fishing boat Lily Jean sinks

On Sunday, the family of 22-year-old Jada Samitt released a statement. She was a fisheries observer and crewmember on the Lily Jean.

The statement was released on behalf of her mother and father, Julie and Jeff Samitt, stepmother Stacey Samitt, stepfather Scott Firestine, as well as siblings John, Charlie and Nora Samitt.

"It is with profound sadness and shattered hearts that we share the loss of our beloved Jada. She was vibrant and compassionate with an infectious smile and spirit. And, above all, she was brave and determined. She fiercely loved her friends and family. Today we are lost without her," the family said. "Jada was on the Lily Jean that day because of her strong belief in her work, not only as an observer, but as someone who knew her important role as a crew member. She proved herself to be so on every trip, and conveyed to us how critical it was to protect the seas and fisheries. We could not be more proud of and grateful to her for it."

Samitt's family said she was from Virginia but her Massachusetts roots "ran deep here and she loved these waters."

"We are devastated by her loss and the pure tragedy of the unthinkable, unimaginable events that took her from us far too early," the family said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of all aboard the Lily Jean and the greater Gloucester community."

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Jada Samitt and Sean Therrien, who were on board the Lily Jean.  Samitt and Therrien families

Memorial held in Gloucester

Another of crewmember was identified Sean Therrien. His fiancée, Becky Carp, confirmed to WBZ-TV that he was on the Lily Jean.

On Saturday, a family member confirmed that Paul Beal and his son Paul Jr. were on the vessel when it sank.

"It's just devastating. I can't explain it," Rickey Beal said.

A memorial service was held Sunday at Saint Ann Church in Gloucester. The mass lasted just over an hour. 

"Especially the young people. The young girl, the observer, I take observers every day. It's really sad. Especially for their families. I can't imagine what they're going through," Gloucester fisherman Joseph Orlando said, choking up after the mass.

"It's such a tragedy that this happened. But at least they were together when the boat went down," added one woman outside the church.

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