Coastguard callout after red distress flares spotted in sky near Greenfield

A volunteer Coastguard rescue team from Flint were scrambled to reports of three red distress flares being spotted in the vicinity of the River Dee, between Greenfield and Mostyn.

The Flint team were tasked to the area by Holyhead Coastguard Operations Centre (CGOC) just after 9.30pm on Sunday evening.

A spokesperson for Flint Coastguard said:

“The Officer In Charge spoke to first informants who verified what they had seen, a thorough search from Greenfield to Mostyn was carried out lasting approximately 1.5 hours with nothing untoward found.

CGOC updated and happy this was a call with good intent and that we could stand down and return to station.”

The use of red distress flares indicates that there is a grave and imminent danger to life or a vessel and should only be used in an emergency situation.

Because of the nature of red flares and what they mean, it is illegal, under Merchant Shipping Act , to fire or ignite any red flare either out on the water or along the coastline to avoid calling out emergency services for no reason.