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U.S. Coast Guard make contact with missing captain, 2 fishermen near Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 2:15 a.m. Thursday UPDATE: The Coast Guard announced early Thursday morning they were able to receive a ping from the cellphone of the missing boat captain, making contact.

According to the Coast Guard, the captain stated they were delayed and out of communications range.

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Original story: 

The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast is searching for three fishermen who failed to return to Jacksonville.

The Coast Guard said the fishermen, including captain John Zimmerman, departed from Safe Harbor in Mayport January 31 in the 34-foot fishing vessel Jessi K.

Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Command Center watchstanders received notification at 4 p.m. Wednesday from the vessel's owner when the vessel failed to return home Tuesday.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules search plane from Air Station Clearwater has been deployed to conduct search patterns.

Friends tell Action News Jax that Zimmerman was headed toward Brunswick with two new crew members.

Anyone with information that can assist in the search is asked to contact Sector Jacksonville Command Center watchstanders at 904-714-7558.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page, follow @ActionNewsJax on Twitter and watch Action News Jax for updates.