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Coast Guard Says Gloucester Mayday Call Was A Hoax

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (CBS/AP) -- The Coast Guard says a Mayday call reporting a sinking boat with two sailors on board in the waters off the coast of Gloucester earlier this month is now considered a hoax.

The Coast Guard launched three boats and deployed a helicopter in response to the call on July 7 about a boat taking on water.  The search covered 712 square miles, cost about $132,000, and turned up nothing.

The caller said he was on a boat that was going down "20 to 40 minutes" off Gloucester.

No arrests have been reported. Making a false distress call is a federal felony with a maximum penalty of five to 10 years in prison.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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