Search Halted for Missing Fishermen

The Coast Guard called off its search Thursday for three fishermen went missing after their fishing boat sank.

A distress call was received around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday from a 44-foot fishing boat called Sea Tractor, officials said. The ship ran into trouble about 20-miles off the coast.

Three men -- Kenneth Rose Sr., 75, Kenneth Rose Jr., 49, and Larry Forrest, 55 -- were on board the boat, but when the rescue chopper arrived to the ship's last known location there was only an empty life raft.

Coast Guard rescue teams from N.J. stations as well as Cape Cod, Mass. and Elizabeth City, N.C. continued to search the waters through Thursday, but were unable to find the fishermen. The men have been presumed dead, officials said.

The Atlantic waters have grown increasingly treacherous as a Nor'easter moves up the coast. Winds were gusting to 60 m.p.h. with 15-20 foot waves Thursday.

MORE FROM NBCPHILADELPHIA.COM

NBCPhiladelphia.com Section Front

Grinch Steals Christmas from Elderly Couple   Unexplained Lesions Found on Stranded Jersey Seals   101 Johns, Prostitutes Busted in Search of Rapist   Amish Man Arrested for Drunken Buggy Driving   Islanders' Witt Hit by Truck in Philly NBCPhiladelphia.com Section Front   Add NBCPhiladelphia.com headlines to your news reader: