FAKE COAST GUARD CALLS WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH

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Coast Guard plagued with hoax distress calls
Jan 25, 2007 05:35 PM EST





News

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH -- Wrightsville Beach Coast Guard officials say they have a prankster on their hands. They say a man has been making emergency calls to their station as a hoax.
Officials want to know who he is, but they need your help.
Mayday: a word every member of the US Coast Guard is familiar with, but also a word they almost dread to hear.
For nearly a year the Coast Guard has been receiving fake distress calls from a mystery man who cries "mayday."
Coast Guard member Justin Westmiller said, "This is the 15th case that we've had to deal with the same person calling hoax maydays, and it's cost the Coast Guard almost $10,000 in response and over 65 man hours in search, plan and execution."
Coast Guard officials say these calls have been coming in pretty frequently within the past year. Last month alone they received two mayday calls from the mystery man, but officials say even two calls is too many.
And the calls keep coming.
Just five days ago the mayday man struck again, this time, giving officials a specific location to search.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday. We're out here at 26 north and 72 south. Mayday, mayday. Coast Guard needed," the caller said.
Coast Guard member Danny Jancauskas said, "We have to treat them as a regular distress case just by the pure fact that you don't want to take the chance that it is someone, so we go out anyways."
Officials say the hoax calls generally come in after dark, with the latest call taking them nearly 30 miles away from their station, making it very difficult for them to make an immediate response if a real emergency call were made.
"It'd be really helpful to let us know who it is, to try to stop this," Jancauskas said.
The Coast Guard says if this mystery man is caught he could face some hefty fines or jail time. They urge anyone who recognizes the voice or has any information about these hoax calls to call Coast Guard investigators at 910-772-22-29.

[Proheat]

I hope they catch the guy real quick! Someone elses life could be in danger because they are out on a bogus call !!
Give them some time and I'm sure they can pinpoint his location when he broadcasts again!

[Washashore]

There are alot of funny things in this world-drunks mascarading as charter guys, north vs. south fishing fights, etc- but fake distress calls aren't one of them. String these little shits up by their balls. Best regards,

Washashore

[gofshn]

washashore, is it your intention to sabotage and integrate every thread with your childish remarks? you continually bring up the moldy topic concerning other members business here as if you were back in the second grade.


back on the original post about the distress calls, i hope they catch the guy and fine him as well as sentence him to jail time.

[AquaholicFishing]

I could be wrong but I thought that the Coast Guard was equipped to be able to tell the general direction of a radio transmition? Could have misunderstood what I was being told!

[CAPT.ERIC]

Probably some kid with his dad's handheld sitting in his treefort. That's really a shame, he probably doesn't have a clue to the consequences of his actions. Hopefully his old man will catch him and kick his a**! Beat him with a life preserver or something appropriate.

[Bite Me]

I could be wrong but I thought that the Coast Guard was equipped to be able to tell the general direction of a radio transmition? Could have misunderstood what I was being told!

They can triangulate with two receivers but it takes a minute. They can pick up a heading with one but not a location.
I live here and fish here and have called out a Mayday for another boat that couldn't. Hope that they catch these guys and that their mommies and daddies can't get them out of jail.
Typical of the times and the society that we have become.

[tolmaz]

that is one thing that gets under my skin! I hope they catch this guy...I cant even imagine why someone would fake a distress call..

[capthersch]

Each time they go out the Coast Guard puts their life and limb on the line.
Fake calls like this puts them in jeopardy.
A stint in jail and being billed for the expense of the search/searches would make others think twice about these types of antics.

[captcl]

Mayday is a word that no one would won't to use on the radio! I would think they could put a radio direction finder on this guy but that does'nt mean he would stay there. I hope they get this guy, this makes it hard for the Coasties.