A large-scale search operation unfolded on Lake Erie late Monday night after multiple flares were reported several miles offshore west of Walnut Creek.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Lake City Fire Company was dispatched to assist Fairview Lake Shore Fire and U.S. Coast Guard Station Erie following reports from a caller who observed several flares in the sky over Lake Erie. West County Paramedics and West Lake/Millcreek Fire were also called to assist, with a fire department boat requested to aid in the search effort.
Upon arrival, first responders interviewed the caller to gather details about the sighting, including the time, location, distance, and direction of the reported flares. Search crews then launched multiple vessels into the lake, including Lake City Boat 578, West Lake/Millcreek Boat 497, and Boat 519, which headed toward the area where the flares were believed to have been seen.
A U.S. Coast Guard vessel from Station Erie and a helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit were also deployed as part of the search. Meanwhile, additional emergency personnel and command staff staged at Walnut Creek Beach, where they maintained visual observation of the lake and continued gathering information.
As the search progressed, command officials received a report that an American Airlines flight crossing Lake Erie had also observed a flare over the water. Based on that information, investigators shifted the focus of the operation toward an area near the U.S.-Canada border and close to the Pennsylvania-Ohio state line, roughly 22 to 26 miles offshore.
With the new information placing the potential sighting farther out on the lake, local fire department boats and other responding agencies were released from the incident and returned to shore. The U.S. Coast Guard vessel and helicopter continued searching the area through the overnight hours and into the morning.
As of the latest update, no distress vessel, individuals, or other evidence connected to the reported flares had been located. The Coast Guard continued its investigation, but officials reported that the search had not uncovered anything related to the sightings.