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UPDATE TUESDAY PM:
The Coast Guard on Tuesday called off the search for a boat that reportedly sank far off the Central California coast with two adults and two children on board, saying the family’s distress calls could have been a hoax.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mike Lutz said crews found no debris and no physical signs of distress after searching for nearly 48 hours.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013:
In an attempt to identify the family that went missing far off the coast of Central California Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard released the audio distress call from the sailboat that was taking on water.
A man’s voice could be heard in the recording. He identified the name of the boat– the Charmblow– and confirmed that its passengers were abandoning ship. The boat was 60 miles west of Monterey at the time. Passengers said they’d try to make a raft out of a cooler and life rings.
“There is still no information on where the boat was coming from, where it was going or who the people on board are,” said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mike Lutz. There have been no reports of missing persons in the case.
The unidentified family of four included two children under 8. Forecasters had issued a weekend advisory warning boaters of rough seas in the area, and water temperatures typically are in the 40s and 50s, making long-term survival difficult.
