NJ Yacht Explosion Likely Hoax

The report of a yacht explosion off Sandy Hook, N.J. late Monday afternoon is now being investigated as a possible hoax, authorities said.

The massive search east of Sandy Hook included two Coast Guard boat crews and four Coast Guard helicopter crews, who searched approximately 638 square nautical miles, according to  officials.

New York City Police Department, Fire Department of New York City, New Jersey State Police and Nassau County Police Department also assisted in the search.

But the hours-long, multi-agency search yielded no sign of a boat, debris or people in the water, authorities said.

Anyone who makes a false distress call could face up to five to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and be forced to reimburse the Coast Guard for the search costs, officials said.

The Coast Guard received a call at about 4:20 p.m. that a boat, called Blind Date, exploded. The caller said they had been on board the yacht when it exploded and that they were using a solar-powered radio to contact the Coast Guard because the boat's electronics and GPS were destroyed in the explosion, Petty Officer Erik Swanson told NBC 4 New York.

The person stated that 21 people were on board and that the passengers were on life rafts in the water about 17.5 miles east of Sandy Hook.

A Coast Guard source said it was later determined the bearings on the distress didn't match up to the precise reported location of the explosion, though initial mapping of the call's signals appeared to verify the report.

Lt. Joe Klinkler told NBC 4 New York, "In any of these cases, especially when we are on the scene quickly and are unable to locate the reporting vessel, there is always the need to consider the possibility of a hoax."