Coast Guard and local agencies responded to reports of people in the water in the vicinity of Peddocks Island and Hull Gut Friday evening.
At approximately 10:44 p.m. the Hull Harbormaster called Coast Guard watchstanders to report a possible person in the water.
The Coast Guard Sector Boston command center dispatched a 47-foot motor life boat crew from station Point Allerton and issued an urgent marine broadcast for mariners in the vicinity of the islands to assist.
At 10:51 p.m. the Hull Harbormaster reported that the person in the water had swam to Peddocks Island wearing a life vest. A commercial tow vessel retrieved the man from Peddocks and met the Coast Guard motor life boat crew to transfer the individual who had a cut on his foot and was suspected to be intoxicated.
The Coast Guard crew attempted to ascertain if the man was alone or if there were others in distress. After he gave inconsistent reports of others in the water, watchstanders at Sector Boston command center launched a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod to join the Hull Harbormaster, Boston Fire and Mass Port boats already engaged in the search.
The Coast Guard motor life boat crew transferred the man to awaiting EMS at 11:21 p.m. and immediately returned to join in the search effort. A Coast Guard member stayed with the man to continue trying to get clear information about the others.
The Coast Guardsman was able to get the names of the individuals. He relayed this information to watchstanders at the Sector Boston command center who, with help from the Hull Police, reached one of them by phone at 12:27 a.m. and confirmed they were never in the water and were all safe on land. The search was ended at that time.
