Coast Guard Spokesman Rebuked for Fish Story

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman who erroneously reported that a private boat sank earlier this week because it contained too many fish has been reprimanded, officials said Thursday.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Trent Jones said the spokesman who made the erroneous statement took comments seriously that were said in jest by co-workers. “It was a false statement,” Jones said. “There are no grounds to back up that statement.”

Jones said that Petty Officer Fransico Lopez overheard co-workers “joking” about how the boat sank 14 miles off the coast of Dana Point on Tuesday but took the comments seriously and relayed the information to the press.

“The boat did not sink because there were too many fish,” he said.

Jones said Lopez was reprimanded. He did not elaborate. Lopez could not be reached for comment.

Ron Cochran, 29, of Irvine, the owner of the 21-foot Ponga, said Thursday that his boat capsized after a battery to the bait tank dislodged and knocked a small hole in the side while he and a friend were fishing for shark.

Cochran and Darrel Beach, 29, of Redondo Beach, radioed for help about 5:15 p.m. Coast Guard rescuers arrived about 40 minutes later.

Both men, who had been clinging to the bow of the boat, jumped into the water as the craft capsized. They were plucked from the water by a Coast Guard helicopter.