Government

Coast Guard along Great Lakes seeing increase in hoax calls

Public Radio 90, WNMU | By Hans Ahlström,

Published July 5, 2017 at 11:12 AM EDT

CLEVELAND (AP) — U.S. Coast Guard stations that watch over the Great Lakes say they're seeing a huge jump in fake distress calls.
The Coast Guard says more than 160 hoax calls have been made across the Great Lakes so far this year. That's nearly triple the number they had at this time last year.
Capt. Joseph McGilley of the Coast Guard's Cleveland-based Great Lakes unit says hoax calls put boaters at risk because they can divert search and rescue responders during real emergencies.
People making fake distress calls that come in by phone and marine radio can face up to six years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

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Hans Ahlström

Hans Ahlström is the host of several programs including the daily musical variety show Weekday, the mostly straight ahead jazz show Night Studio, the self explanatory Blues Today, and the eclectic Sound Spectrum. You can also hear Hans as the local host of NPR's All Things Considered news magazine. He also helps manage Public Radio 90's web content, interviews local and visiting writers and artists, works with NMU student interns, and writes the occasional news story.

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