SAN DIEGO -- The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday for two fishermen who went missing in the seas southwest of Point Loma during a rain storm over the weekend.

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MISSING FISHERMEN Search Called Off For Missing Fishermen

Vito Romani, a 45-year-old fisherman with at least 20 years of experience, and a crewmember whose name has been withheld pending notification of relatives, were aboard the Gina Lisa, a 42-foot swordfishing boat.

The two were about 35 miles southwest of Point Loma Sunday morning when they made radio contact with another vessel at 7:30 a.m. Officials received a distress signal from the vessel Gina Lisa at 8:04 a.m. Sunday, possibly when an emergency device was activated by contact with saltwater, USCG Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Lanier said.

The federal maritime agency contacted the boat's owners, who reported that two men were on the vessel, possibly a father and son.

A USCG helicopter search crew spotted pieces of wood from a vessel, a life raft, an oar and an oil slick. A Coast Guard cutter continued combing the ocean waters through the night, finding no sign of the missing men.

USCG Cmdr. Sean Mahoney said, "We were able to immediately see a life raft. It was unmanned and there was an emergency beacon but no sign of anyone on board."

Also involved in the search, which covered more than 270 square miles, was a Coast Guard plane, a fishing vessel and the USS Ingraham, a frigate.

Given the conditions, and how fast the Gina Lisa went down leads some to speculate Romani's boat may have been hit by a large ship which may not have seen it.