Helicopter Search Reports No Signs of Life

Video by: Harry B. Scheeler, Jr.

CAPE MAY — At approximately 12:20 p.m., a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City returned from a two-hour search deployment and reported seeing no signs of life in the search for three missing fishermen.

Two coast guard cutters that were on scene searching were forced back to safe harbor due to high winds, according to Petty Officer Crystal Lynn Kneen

The Coast Guard is continuing to search for the three fishermen after their 44-foot fishing boat sank 20 miles east of Cape May Wednesday.

Missing is Kenneth Rose Sr., 75, Kenneth Rose Jr., 49, and Larry Forrest, 55.

The Coast Guard received an electronic position indicating radio beacon transmission at 7:35 p.m. from the fishing boat Seatractor.

A rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, arrived on scene and found an empty life raft with a strobe light attached. According to one of the pilots Lt. Joan Snath there were "no signs of life".

A good Samaritan, fishing vessel Capt. Jeff, arrived on scene to assist and found a debris field with the Sea Tractor's EPIRB and a cooler.

A rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., a C-130 crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and the crews of the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island and Coast Guard Cutter Mako are assisting in the search.

Weather conditions are 15 to 20-foot seas, 40 to 60 knot winds and two to three miles of visibility.

According to the Web site www.boatinfoworld.com, the Seatractor is owned by Kenneth M. Rose of Newport, N.C. The commercial boat was built in 1984.

At midday Thursday, the mood at Cold Spring Fish and Supply, next to the Lobster House, was solemn. Clerical employees wore black sweatshirts. The Sea Tractor was well known by other fishing boat captains and packing house employees.

The Sea Tractor was a regular at Cold Spring. One employee said the 44-foot boat was an older vessel. Another captain said he brought his boat in last night when waves and wind were coming from the both the north and northeast at the same time.

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News & Politics

Tags:

• united states coast guard
• fishing boat sinks
• seatractor