A 19-year-old TikTok prankster from Blackpool has been condemned for causing a large-scale sea rescue operation by faking an emergency. Kian King, who lives on St Chads Road, admitted to wasting police time at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
In the early hours of January 13, emergency services were dispatched to Blackpool Promenade following reports of a person in distress near the RNLI lifeboat station. The resulting 90-minute rescue effort involved rough sea conditions and significant manpower, including 12 volunteer officers from HM Coastguard Fleetwood, 19 Blackpool RNLI volunteers with two lifeboats, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service, and two Search and Rescue helicopters.
King was not only responsible for the false alarm but also live-streamed the entire fake rescue on TikTok. After an extensive search, authorities determined the incident was a hoax aimed at increasing social media views. King was arrested on the Promenade shortly after 3:45 AM.
Currently in custody, King will remain detained for three weeks before a bail hearing at Preston Magistrates Court on February 4. His sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2026, at Lancaster Magistrates Court.
A police spokesperson commented, “After around 90 minutes of searching, it transpired this was a hoax call thought to have been linked to an attempt to boost engagement on a social media account,” condemning the reckless stunt for wasting vital, life-saving resources.
Originally published by UKNIP.
