2 Coastguard Rescue Teams and Cowes RNLI Lifeboat were involved in a search of the River Medina in Newport late last night (Saturday) – but the incident is thought to have been a hoax.
At around 23:00 a Mayday call was heard on VHF Channel 16 in the vicinity of Island Harbour, prompting Ventnor Coastguard and Bembridge Coastguard to spring into action.
The assistance of Cowes RNLI was soon requested and the volunteer crew members hit the water shortly after 23:30 to conduct a search up the River Medina.
Cowes Harbour Master conducted a sweep to the north of Island Harbour towards Cowes.
Following a thorough search and the interrogation of a number of possible causes, nothing was found.
Shockingly, intelligence from security staff at the Isle of Wight Festival indicates that the Mayday call was malicious – a hoax. The incident has been passed onto Police as it is a criminal offence to make malicious/hoax calls.
Earlier on the day Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked to reports to 2 people on the riverbank. It was soon discovered that the duo were fishing and were not in any trouble.
These people should be heavily fined & prison sentence.
Would be nice, but no money to do so as the criminals of Westminster are spending it on themselves and their wealthy mates.
Maybe the media should not publish stores about these hoax’s so not to give the attention these people crave??? No idea if that would make a difference but worth a try?? What do you think?