U.S. Coast Guard Asking For Help In Identifying Reported False Distress Calls In Ocean City Area

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- The search is on for a caller who reported fake boating distress calls near Ocean City.

The suspected prank calls have plagued the area for nearly three months and the U.S. Coast Guard hopes you can help solve the mystery.

Every fake call receives a real response from the Coast Guard and they suspect that it is the same person sending the distress calls.

"Our policy is to respond to any call even if we do suspect it is a hoax," Petty Officer First Class Kayla Gamester of the U.S. Coast Guard said.

A false distress call can end in up to a decade behind bars and a $250,000 fine. It's happened in Maryland before in 2013 when a Kent Island area caller sent the Coast Guard on about a dozen wild goose chases.

"It does place our crews in inherent danger any time they do dispatch," Gamester said. "We also have only a certain amount of assets to respond in each area, so if that asset is being used in a search, they may not be able to respond if someone is in real danger."

If anyone is able to ID the person making the calls the U.S. Coast Guard investigators urge you to contact officials immediately.