BARNEGAT LIGHT, N.J. (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a fishing boat that issued a distress signal about 40 miles (64 kilometers) off the coast of Barnegat, New Jersey.
First responders searched an area of 4,441 square miles (11,500 square kilometers) by sea and air for the two crew members of the 46-foot-long (14-meter-long) Queen Ann’s Revenge but didn’t find them, the Coast Guard said. The search began early Thursday, after the distress signal was sent around 1:20 a.m., and was suspended Friday.
The Coast Guard dispatched boats, a helicopter and an airplane to the scene. A fishing boat helping in the search found possible debris.
At the time of the distress report there were 10-foot (3-meter) seas, 25 mph (40 kph) winds and a sea temperature of 46 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius), the Coast Guard said.
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Capt. Scott Anderson, commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, said suspending a case is never an easy decision for first responders to make.
“We would like to extend our condolences to the families and the fishing community affected by this tragic incident,” Anderson said in an emailed statement.