Coast Guard Search Ends After 'Cries For Help' Turn Out To Be Something Else

SALISBURY (CBS) - The Coast Guard has called off a search for a possible missing person off Salisbury and Newburyport after what now appears to be a misunderstanding.

Late Tuesday night someone reported hearing cries for help in Black Rock Creek, near the entrance of the Merrimack River, and called police.

Salisbury police officers responded to the call. While they were checking out the area, they also heard what appeared to be calls for help.

Police alerted the Coast Guard around midnight and they launched a 29-foot boat response crew and a helicopter.

The search was suspended late Wednesday morning after two fishermen who were out on the water in kayaks late Tuesday night contacted them.

The men were about a half-a-mile apart and were yelling back and forth to each other. When they saw the news about the search, they called the Coast Guard to let them know they had been out there yelling.

"With the help of the media, we were able to correlate two fishermen who reported being in the vicinity of Black Rock Creek about midnight," Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Hertzler said in a statement.

"The fisherman said they were in the same area yelling to each other, but were not in distress. Based on this information, and the exhaustive search conducted by the Coast Guard air and boat crews, and the local responders, the Coast Guard was able to suspend the search pending additional information."

Authorities also said no one had been reported missing.