On 5-03-2025 1:30pm (Eastern Time) a water emergency was dispatched from Muskegon County Central Dispatch. The reporting party was the USCG, saying they got a verbal MAYDAY from a foreign speaker, assumed Spanish, on Marine VHF Channel 16. They were able to get a rough location (unsure of method. DF or GPS?) and a local search was underway on Muskegon Lake. Multiple local departments assisted with watercraft and drones, and a USAF C-130 assisted in the search.
Here is a copy of my Facebook post of the incident:WATER EMERGENCY [C-130 ASSISTED SEARCH] - near Anchor Marina. 2400 blk Memorial Dr. Muskegon County
1:30pm, 5-03-2025
Coast Guard got a MAYDAY from a non-english speaker. Rough location given.
North Muskegon Fire, Muskegon City Fire, and Muskegon Township Fire
Update: units on scene have made contact with numerous vessels in the area and all of them have not seen anything. Coast guard is now on scene with a vessel, drones are in the air, and many boats on the water to assist.
There may be possible assistance from a C-130 that is currently over Lake Michigan in the area.
The original distress call was only heard by USCG sector Milwaukee.
3:00pm update: USCG is suspending search, local units will clear as well. C-130 will still do pass in ~90min.
Track "KING30"
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There is speculation that this is a hoax because no further evidence of any vessel in distress was ever discovered.
Local first responders were able to communicate face to face with numerous, if not all vessels and their occupants. All of them assured that they did not see or hear of anyone in distress. Further more, they even insisted that if something did happen, "that would know" (good position or calm weather?)
I wasn't sure if we had any marine listeners in Michigan? Most of us listen to public safety and airband / MilAir. Anyone see anything or hear anything?
Side note: I was on scene as the fire department photographer. There are no official reports of this (to my knowledge). But through my contacts and what I've heard over the scanner, USCG Milwaukee got the only hit on the mayday signal, but how would that be possible if we have a USCG DF site in Montague, just miles north.
Here is a copy of my Facebook post of the incident:WATER EMERGENCY [C-130 ASSISTED SEARCH] - near Anchor Marina. 2400 blk Memorial Dr. Muskegon County
1:30pm, 5-03-2025
Coast Guard got a MAYDAY from a non-english speaker. Rough location given.
North Muskegon Fire, Muskegon City Fire, and Muskegon Township Fire
Update: units on scene have made contact with numerous vessels in the area and all of them have not seen anything. Coast guard is now on scene with a vessel, drones are in the air, and many boats on the water to assist.
There may be possible assistance from a C-130 that is currently over Lake Michigan in the area.
The original distress call was only heard by USCG sector Milwaukee.
3:00pm update: USCG is suspending search, local units will clear as well. C-130 will still do pass in ~90min.
Track "KING30"
----------
There is speculation that this is a hoax because no further evidence of any vessel in distress was ever discovered.
Local first responders were able to communicate face to face with numerous, if not all vessels and their occupants. All of them assured that they did not see or hear of anyone in distress. Further more, they even insisted that if something did happen, "that would know" (good position or calm weather?)
I wasn't sure if we had any marine listeners in Michigan? Most of us listen to public safety and airband / MilAir. Anyone see anything or hear anything?
Side note: I was on scene as the fire department photographer. There are no official reports of this (to my knowledge). But through my contacts and what I've heard over the scanner, USCG Milwaukee got the only hit on the mayday signal, but how would that be possible if we have a USCG DF site in Montague, just miles north.
