Authorities call off search for 'vessel in distress'

The U.S. Coast Guard would like to know who called authorities after cries for help - and the report of a vessel in distress in Shinnecock Bay on Sunday night - proved to be what one spokesman called "a false alarm."

Helicopters and rescue boats from the Coast Guard station at Shinnecock were dispatched to search the bay off Hampton Bays following the call at about 9:40 p.m., officials said.

That search was called off at about 8:15 a.m. Monday.

"We suspended the active search . . . just after first light," Coast Guard spokesman Tom McKenzie said. "That, after finding no signs of distress, no correlating indicators, nothing to suggest a vessel had sunk."

McKenzie said of prank calls: "This isn't something we take lightly. Calls like this could take away assets that could really be needed somewhere else."

Falsely reporting an incident is a federal offense, officials said. Officials said a caller who is identified as making a false report will be prosecuted.

Penalties can include substantial fines and jail time.

Coast Guard officials told Newsday that in addition to the call searchers heard cries for help coming from the area, first lending credence to the possibility a boat went down.