Coast Guard searches for crew after 82-foot fishing boat sinks in Atlantic

The United States Coast Guard said it is conducting a search off Provincetown, Massachusetts, where a fishing boat sank early Monday morning. CBS Boston reports rescuers are looking for four fishermen believed to be in the water.

The 82-foot fishing vessel Emmy Rose, based out of Portland, Maine, sank about 20 miles northeast of Provincetown, officials said. The Coast Guard got the emergency alert around 1:30 a.m. and was on the scene by about 2:30 a.m., Petty Officer Ryan Noel said in a phone interview.

The crew did not make any sort of mayday or distress call, he said, and the Coast Guard was alerted when the vessel's emergency beacon, known as an EPIRB, made contact with the water and sent out its signal.

A helicopter crew and Coast Guard Cutter immediately responded to the vessel's last known location, where rescuers found debris and an empty life raft.

Three Coast Guard vessels and two aircraft are involved in the search, which was being made more difficult by 6- to 8-foot seas and 35 mph winds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.