Coast Guard suspects hoax after lake search

3/12/2010

MARBLEHEAD — After a fruitless 2 -hour search by air and land yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard will launch a hoax investigation into a report of a capsized boat and a missing person in western Lake Erie.

The cell phone call was made about 6:40 a.m. from an unlisted number.

The caller said he got safely to shore but did not give a better location or provide any other details and was uncooperative before the call was dropped in midsentence, authorities said.

The Coast Guard searched the lake by helicopter. Coast Guard personnel also drove to boat ramps in search of unattended vehicles and empty boat trailers.

The search was called off about 9:30 a.m.