The U.S. Coast Guard is asking for the public’s help in finding a person making false mayday calls over the past seven months near the mouth of the Columbia River.

Personnel at Sector Columbia River’s command center in Warrenton have received 22 false mayday calls since April, likely from the same person.

“False maydays waste valuable time and resources, but most importantly it potentially puts responding personnel in danger and can interfere with legitimate search and rescue cases,” Capt. Bill Timmons, commander of Sector Columbia River, said. “These false reports have to stop, so I ask anyone with a legitimate tip in locating this person or persons to step forward immediately.”

All 22 calls have come from Chinook, Washington, or between Warrenton and Seaside.

Through a voice analysis conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, the suspect making the calls is believed to be a white male, 35 to 40 years old, with an accent from the East Coast to Southeast Coast. The analysis also puts the person at 5 feet, 10 inches to 6 feet tall, and 190 pounds.

Information pertaining to these false maydays should be reported to the Sector Columbia River command center at 503-338-9021.

Making a hoax call to the Coast Guard is a crime punishable by up to six years in prison, a $250,000 criminal fine, a $5,000 civil fine and reimbursement to the Coast Guard for operating costs incurred. If a mayday call — actual or potentially false — is heard, boaters are encouraged to contact their local Coast Guard unit and relay what they heard.

• Listen: Audio of the hoax mayday calls can be found at http://tinyurl.com/j699ucz