4 rescued after commercial fishing boat burns in Cape May

CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) - The Coast Guard came to the rescue of a commercial fishing boat crew that was forced to abandon ship after the vessel caught fire off the southern New Jersey coast.

The electrical fire broke out on the 75-foot (23-meter) Ocean Pearl around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, when the vessel was about 16 miles (26 kilometers) 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.

Two 45-foot (14-meter) response boats and an 87-foot (27-meter) 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.