4 People Rescued After Fishing Boat Catches Fire Off Cape May Coast

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CAPE MAY, N.J. (CBS/AP) — Four people were rescued by the Coast Guard after their fishing boat caught fire and they were forced to abandon ship off the coast of Cape May Saturday.

The electrical fire broke out on the 75-foot Ocean Pearl around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, when the vessel was about 16 miles southeast of Cape May. The captain and three crew members activated emergency beacons before they left the boat and then used a handheld radio to contact the Coast Guard.

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Two 45-foot response boats and an 87-foot patrol boat from the guard’s Cape May station responded to the scene. Officials say the crew members were found a short time later on a life raft, all clad in survival suits.

No injuries were reported.

(©Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)