LNM: Coast Guard Seeks Your Help to Stop Fake Mayday Calls
| Audio Release | U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
After Hours: (757) 434-7712
5th District online newsroom
|
Coast Guard seeks public’s help to identify hoax caller near Pamlico Sound, NC
Editors’ Note: Audio edited to omit profanity. Please email d5de@uscg.mil to request audio including profanity.
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard would like the public’s help to identify a suspected hoax caller who has made numerous hoax radio transmissions originating from the Pamlico Sound and Oregon Inlet area.
“The Coast Guard is committed to saving lives,” said Capt. Bion Stewart, the commander of Sector North Carolina. “When someone makes a hoax distress call, we are required to respond. This uses up our limited resources, which may reduce our ability to respond to mariners actually in danger.”
Sector North Carolina watchstanders have received several suspected or confirmed hoax radio calls believed to be from the same individual.
The calls in the Pamlico Sound were made on VHF-FM marine radio channel 16, a channel designated only for hailing and distress calls. The caller has stated that they were “going down” and regularly broadcasts “mayday” or “help” along with a string of other calls, including profanity.
Penalties for making a false distress call can include up to 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, plus the cost incurred by the search.
In 2014, Homer Lewis Blackburn from Atlantic Beach was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $288,390.80 for making false distress calls to the Coast Guard. Blackburn made a “mayday” call to the Coast Guard claiming he was sinking and abandoning his boat near Cape Lookout and Shackleford Banks. The Coast Guard led a search effort involving the U.S. Marines, the National Park Service and a private salvage company.
“Hoax calls are not funny, nor are they clever,” Stewart said. “They are irresponsible and dangerous. Have no doubt, we are committed to identifying and stopping those who are making hoax calls.”
If you have any information leading to the identification of a hoax caller, please contact the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) through the Sector North Carolina command center at 910-343-3880. Information leading to the successful identification of the hoax caller may be subject to a reward from CGIS.
A call is considered a hoax when there is an intent to deceive the Coast Guard or emergency responders.
A search using an HC-130 Hercules airplane costs approximately $15,000 per hour, and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter operates at approximately $10,000 per hour. Boat rescues costs top out at approximately $5,000 per hour.
-USCG-
Comments from Cruisers (7)
Hey …
Just saw this discussion and wondered if anyone had any experience / late intel on ICW from Beaufort to Norfolk with 8 ft draft (C&C 41 – also a tall stick, still getting accurate air draft measure on her, just bought recently). Trying very hard to avoid CH and to avoid having to stay in VA / Chessie for the winter because will have to heat her …
Thanks,
Joyce
Easy to do, just hang around until a tug pushin barge goes in your direction,then follow him close. Also make sure you have a danforth hanging on the stern rail ready to toss if you hit and a zodiac with an outboard to quickly drag the anchor back another 50 feet to winch your self off.
I’ve done it 10 times my sail 6 ft wing. Good to NC, SC, GA and FL. Stay in mid channel according to channel mrkrs, don’t follow your majenta line on plotter. at line observe other sailors in front of u.
Tony Pozun
Good point on bridge clearance. Once you're past Great Bridge, that section of the ICW does not have lunar tides, so it doesn't seem that there's any sense in talking about "timing passage for low/mid tides" to get better bridge clearances. However water levels can be affected by persistent, strong winds. We've been told that a persistent, strong W or SW wind can raise water levels at the NE end of the Pamlico/Pungo area, and therefore reduce bridge clearances, at the Wilkerson. I haven't experienced this, but it's something to watch out for if you've got a tall stick.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Great to hear from someone who's done it. We haven't decided which route to take, but would be interested in why you have always avoided the Dismal Swamp route.
We had more trouble with mast height than depth. Our mast was right at 65.The ocean was more friendly for us.
Assuming that you are talking about the Virginia Cut route rather than the Dismal Swamp (I have no experience with Dismal Swamp), that stretch is one of the least problematic parts of the ICW for 6' draft. We've done it over a dozen times with 6'. Pay attention to staying in the channel in Currituck Sound, and the height of the Wilkerson Bridge.