Emergency call to Coast Guard a possible ‘hoax’

Girl’s pleas prompt all-night search without results

Ashley Coats

of the Gateway

The United States Coast Guard is out nearly $40,000 and still has no results from a search and rescue attempt performed July 22 on Fox Island.

The rescue was triggered by a call made to the Coast Guard by a 6-year-old girl who said her name was Kelsey.

Calling on the maritime distress frequency, the young girl claimed that her Aunt Kelly was “in the water and she’s not getting up. Kelly’s asleep in the water and we’re in the water.”

The call lasted for 7 minutes, said John Spadafora, Search & Rescue Coordinator with the Coast Guard. The girl mentioned that she was home schooled and didn’t know where she was located.

The call was made at 6:13 p.m., and the Coast Guard believes it originated from the area of Fox Island.

“We saturated the area with Search & Rescue (teams) and we didn’t find the girl, boat or the aunt,” Spadafora said. “Nobody has been reported missing or overdue.”

The Coast Guard now suspects that the call was a “hoax.” Spadafora said that over 100 boats were contacted and no one saw someone in distress.

“That’s obviously a big no-no,” he said. “We can’t believe someone would do that.”

The search was conducted using an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a small boat crew from Coast Guard Station Seattle. The search lasted from the time the call was made to 8:30 a.m. the next day.

The Coast Guard spent $38,711 investigating this case, which could be paid back if the call turns out to be a hoax. Anyone who knowingly or willfully communicates a false distress call to the Coast Guard can be charged with a federal felony, according to the Coast Guard, and “penalties include up to six years in prison, $250,000 fine … and possible reimbursement to the Coast guard for costs of the search.”

The Coast Guard has not officially named this case as a hoax, but instead would like any information relayed to Coast Guard Sector Seattle.

“We suspended actively searching but any information would be great and really help us out,” Spadafora said.

Contacting the U.S. Coast Guard with information

At this point, the U.S. Coast Guard is attempting to determine if an emergency call made last week was a hoax.

Anyone with any information about the call, which was made at 6:13 p.m. July 22 from the Fox Island area, should contact the Coast Guard Sector Seattle at 206-217-6001.