Search Resumes for Lost Fishermen Off Assateague

March 07--The U.S. Coast Guard resumed a search shortly after sunrise Thursday for two fishermen lost in waters about 15 miles off the coast of Assateague Island, who went missing after their fishing vessel became distressed in turbulent weather Wednesday morning.

Another man from the boat who was rescued by a helicopter crew after being located on a life raft was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, the Coast Guard said.

The three men first radioed an emergency alert from their 67-foot Seafarer at 10:39 a.m. Wednesday, telling Coast Guard officials their boat had become distressed in churning waters made turbulent by the powerful winter storm that was moving through the region, officials said.

The Seafarer's owner told the Coast Guard at the time that his vessel was being towed by a sister ship, but worsening conditions caused the two boats to become detached and lose contact, the Coast Guard said.

Responding to the fishing vessel's reported coordinates, the helicopter crew spotted the lone man in the life raft, and performed a successful air rescue, the Coast Guard said. The man was being treated Thursday for hypothermia and a head injury, the Coast Guard said.

A 47-foot Coast Guard motor boat crew also responded to the location to aid in a broader search for the other two men.

However, as they searched, the weather continued to deteriorate, the Coast Guard said.

Winds at the scene were between 50 and 60 mph, with heavy rains and dense cloud cover limiting visibility, the Coast Guard said.

The search was called off about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, and relaunched at 7 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

In a separate incident Wednesday, the Coast Guard medevaced a 47-year-old man from a 780-foot cargo ship 200 miles east of the Chesapeake Bay to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia after crew on the ship reported he'd sustained serious chest injuries during a fall.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew arrived at the Horizon Trader ship about 4:30 p.m., hoisted the man into the helicopter and took him to the hospital, the Coast Guard said. It was not immediately clear whether the man's injuries were related to rough weather conditions.

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