Mayday call off Perth coast may have been false report

Update: An urgent search for a boat off the coast in Perth this afternoon appears to be a false report.

The frantic hunt was launched after authorities received a mayday call just before 4pm.

Police said on Sunday night they believed the alarm to be a false report.

More information is expected tomorrow morning.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call for assistance from a vessel with three people on board, 70 nautical miles off the coast.

It was reported a vessel started taking on water before calling for help.

Fremantle Water Police were deployed along with a rescue aircraft to search for the vessel.

“AMSA has tasked the Perth-based Challenger Rescue Aircraft to conduct an aerial search and issued a shipping broadcast for assistance to all vessels in the area,” AMSA spokesperson said.