DOVER, DE – In a mix-up that sounds straight out of a comedy of errors, police dispatchers in Dover, Delaware, found themselves playing an unexpected role in an international rescue operation last month. On August 27, an Albanian man frantically called for help after learning that his brother’s boat was sinking in the English Channel.
There was just one problem—he thought he was dialing emergency services in Dover, England, but ended up connecting with the Dover Police Department across the pond in Delaware, USA.
The man, in a rush to get help, had done a quick internet search for the “Dover Police Department” and didn’t realize his call had landed him over 3,500 miles away from where his brother’s boat was foundering.
But despite the geographical confusion, the dispatchers in Delaware sprang into action, coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to make sure the message got through to the correct authorities in England.
Thanks to the quick thinking of these dispatchers, the boat in distress was successfully located and rescued. Delaware police officials praised their team for their efforts, saying,
“The family member thought they were calling Dover, England but was connected with our agency here in the United States.” While it may have been a mix-up, it turned into a story of teamwork across continents—and one more reason to double-check those Google search results!