Search by Aircraft Fails to Find Boat That Sent SOS Messages

U.S. Coast Guard aircraft Thursday afternoon searched a 90-square-mile sector of ocean between Dana Point and Santa Catalina Island but failed to find a vessel whose skipper radioed that his boat was sinking about 16 miles offshore.

Petty Officer Charles Embleton said two distress calls were received at 2:25 p.m. and a man’s voice said his 26-foot boat was taking on water and “would sink within three minutes.”

Moments later he called again to say that water was over the decks, that his radio was “going out” and that he was “two miles from . . .” when his transmission ceased, Embleton said.

“He had identified the boat as Grand Banks,” Embleton added, “but we don’t know if that’s the vessel’s name or the name of a well-known boat-building firm.”

There was no indication as to how many persons were aboard or where the boat was from, Embleton said.

Four Coast Guard helicopters and one jet aircraft took part in the search and by sunset had found no signs of debris, “nothing to indicate a boat had gone down,” Embleton said.

“If there is no indication over the night hours that something else is going to happen,” there will be no further searching of the area, he said.

Asked if the distress call might have been a hoax, Embleton said, “It would only be conjecture at this point.”