APNewsBreak: Search Halted For 3 Missing Fishermen

WAYNE PARRY

CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) — Nearly a day after a commercial fishing boat sank off New Jersey, the Coast Guard ended its search Thursday for the three crew members.

The presumed deaths of the captain and two others aboard the 44-foot Sea Tractor bring to nine the number of commercial fishermen based in Cape May who have died at sea this year.

Boats, planes and helicopters began searching the storm-tossed ocean shortly after the boat went down around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in treacherous weather due in part to the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida.

There are no plans to resume searching Friday morning, when conditions are expected to be even worse, a Coast Guard spokeswoman said. Seas were topping 20 feet in the search area, with winds gusting to 55 mph Thursday.

"This is nine guys now; this is really hitting home, and it hurts," said Bruce Barto, who knew the Sea Tractor crew for 22 years through his marine supply business and counted them among his customers and friends.