False flares cause stir at Hoonah

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Hoonah
Type: Suspicious circumstances
On 2/15/11 at approximately 1735 hours, Hoonah Wildlife Troopers, the U.S. Coast Guard and members of Hoonah volunteer fire department responded to and investigated two separate reports of aerial flares being seen in the area between the Hoonah airport and Spasski harbor northeast of Hoonah. At the time of the incident the Icy Strait and Hoonah area were experiencing gale warnings with freezing spray. The USCG launched a helicopter out of Sitka, and responders from Hoonah investigated by truck and snowmobiles. It was determined that an unidentified and very irresponsible party had fired three expired flares from the Hoonah dump area, causing this case to be initiated. The Alaska State Troopers would like to remind people that flares or any other type of distress signal should not be used unless in an emergency, or under some type of training scenario where local search and rescue authorities are notified before the training exercise.

Errant EPIRB

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Haines
Type: EPIRB signal
On 6-22-09, at 0327, Ketchikan AST dispatch received a report of an EPIRB signal activated in the Lutak Inlet area near Haines. The EPRIB was registered to the F/V Morning Light. Haines PD responded to the area and could observe a vessel in the general vicinity, but were unable to raise them on the VHF. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter responded from Air Station Sitka and eventually located a lone EPRIB washed up on the beach. The USCG believes that the EPIRB was either thrown overboard or fell overboard. All vessels associated with the EPIRB have been accounted for.