Moray MP condemns behaviour of hoax callers
Moray MP Douglas Ross has spoken out after reports revealed that a call which sparked a huge rescue operation on Monday night in the Moray Firth was likely a hoax.
“To hear that this is the third time that crews have been called out following a hoax call in recent months is absolutely staggering,” said Douglas. “I would ask anyone who has any information about these calls to come forward so police can deal with them. This particular call raised alarm in the local community and put lives at risk for the brave men and women in our lifeboat teams and other boats who went responded to the mayday call.”
Douglas was commenting after the RNLI issued a press release stating that the search followed a radio call asking for rescuers as people were abandoning ship in the Moray Firth which sparked three lifeboats into action, along with the rescue helicopter, numerous volunteer coastguard teams and local fishing boats. The search lasted until 10.30pm when it was called off as no trace was found of anything, prompting concerns it was a hoax.
Douglas said: “Hoax calls put lives at risk. We are very lucky to have such professional teams in operation here, but while they were busy searching for what we now seems to have been a non-existent boat, someone could have been in real trouble elsewhere.
“If someone has a genuine need, they should call 999 and ask for the coastguard, there is no question about this, but hoax calls cost money and more crucially put others at risk. This is the third such call in this area in a year and is just not acceptable.”
“The RNLI are asking for anyone who knows who may have been involved in making hoax calls to the emergency services to report them by dialing 101. I fully support this. Somebody somewhere knows something.”