Teen Engineer Hoax for Social Media Fame
A 19-year-old TikTok user from Blackpool has been locked up after starting a massive sea rescue operation that turned out to be a complete hoax. Kian King, from St Chads Road, pleaded guilty to wasting police time at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
90-Minute Rescue Drama Wastes Vital Resources
In the early hours of January 13, emergency services were scrambled after reports of a person in distress near the RNLI lifeboat station on Blackpool Promenade. The frantic 90-minute search battled rough seas and called on:
- 12 volunteer officers from HM Coastguard Fleetwood
- 19 volunteers and two lifeboats from Blackpool RNLI
- Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
- North West Ambulance Service
- Two Search and Rescue helicopters
TikTok Live Stream Blows the Hoax
While rescue teams combed the choppy water, King live-streamed the event on TikTok. After an extensive search, officials uncovered the whole thing was a staged stunt to boost social media engagement. King was arrested on the Promenade just after 3:45 AM.
Justice Served – Bail Hearing Set for February
King is currently in custody and will stay behind bars for three weeks ahead of a bail hearing on February 4 at Preston Magistrates Court. Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2026, at Lancaster Magistrates Court.
“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,” a police spokesperson said, condemning the reckless stunt that wasted critical, life-saving resources.
