Warning that hoax calls to coastguards putting lives at risk.

MARITIME: High rate of hoaxes leads to warning of heavy penalty for offenders

Coastguards in Tayside and Fife are being plagued by hoax calls which are putting lives in danger.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) received 1,970 false alarms from across Scotland since 2016, with 123, or 6%, classed as hoaxes.

Some 397 calls were recorded between Stonehaven in the north and the southern mouth of the Forth, 20% of the Scottish total.

Malicious calls made up 7.3% of contacts, more than the Scottish average.

The MCA provides a 24-hour maritime search and rescue service around the UK coast, and international search and rescue through HM Coastguard.

There are coastguard rescue teams in Stonehaven, Montrose, Arbroath, Carnoustie, St Andrews and Leven.

Arbroath East and Lunan Conservative councillor Derek Wann said: “I find it incredible there are people out there who would attempt to waste the time of this and other emergency services by making hoax calls.

“The coastguard service is a 24-hour search and rescue emergency service and relies on getting to the area of incident as quickly as possible.”

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Conservative Andrew Bowie said: “Members of the public usually only hear about their brave exploits at cliff rescues or when taking part in multiagency operations.

“But these figures confirm just how much work goes in to checking alarms, and unfortunately the extent to which their heroism can be abused.

“Each one of these idiotic calls could have put lives in danger, anywhere from the Mearns to Fife to North Berwick.”

The MCA said false alarms are classified as good intent or malicious intent by the officer who took the call.

The authorities warned hoax callers face up to six months in jail, and fines of up to £5,000.

Chris Thomas, deputy director of maritime operations with the MCA, said: “We keep a record of these calls and hold those records as evidence for future prosecutions. Have no doubt – if you’ve been identified as making a hoax call, the MCA will seek to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Figures confirm how much work goes in to checking alarms. ANDREW BOWIE MP

Seafarers’ safety depends on the bravery of lifeboat crews working alongside coastguard teams.