HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 22-year-old Richmond-area native and Deep Run High School graduate was among the seven people killed in a commercial fishing boat tragedy in late January. At about 6:50 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, units with the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the signal of an emergency p osition-indicating radio beacon activation from the 72-foot commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean about 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. When they arrived at the location, rescue crews found a debris field, an unoccupied life raft and one unresponsive person, according to officials. A lengthy, extensive search was launched for the other six people said to have been aboard the craft at the time of its sinking. Though more than 1,000 square miles were covered, the remaining six missing crew members were not found. Patience and determination lead Richmond-native to first Grammy win On Monday, Feb. 2, the U.S. Coast Guard identified all of those the Lily Jean counted among its crew. Among them was Jada Samitt, a NOAA fisheries observer who was on board to collect data on the vessel's catch. This photo provided by Jada Samitt's family shows Jada Samitt posing for a self-timed photo, Aug. 25, 2025. (Jada Samitt via AP) In a statement provided to 8News by ABC News, Samitt's family identified her as a 22-year-old Virginia native. A spokesperson for Henrico County Public Schools told 8News that Samitt graduated from Deep Run High School in 2021. The family's statement reads as follows: "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. 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. Jada was from Virginia, but her 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. Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of all aboard the Lily Jean and the greater Gloucester community.” The other six people who were killed in the Lily Jean's sinking include: Capt. Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo Paul Beal, Sr. Paul Beal, Jr. John Rousanidis Freeman Short Sean Therrien The U.S. Coast Guard is actively investigating how this tragedy could have occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will aid in this investigation. This Super Bowl, watch out for one Virginia native’s custom design "The purpose of a Coast Guard investigation is to identify measures that can improve the safety of life and property at sea, not to assign civil or criminal blame," federal officials said. "The investigation is expected to take several months to complete." This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates. ...read more read less