HM Coastguard

  Coastguards battled raging rapids in a special flood rescue exercise to be ready for the worst of the wet weather. The operation was a joint rehearsal between HM Coastguard and fellow emergency services and other public agencies to enhance cooperation and skills to respond to rising waters.  Members of Coastguard Rescue Teams based along the coast from Somerset to Cornwall took part in the activities held at Cardiff International White Water, just over the Bristol Channel in Wales.  Exercises in October included rescuing casualties from a submerged car, safely navigating floods on foot or in a boat, and recovering people to dry land.  The event was hosted by the Avon and Somerset Local Resilience Forum (LRF), made up of emergency services and local public agencies.  As well as rehearsing vital skills in a flood scenario, such as first aid and inter-agency communications, the activities helped each team to understand better how the others work and abilities that can be shared in an em

  Every year Fields of Remembrance are created in locations across the UK as the nation prepares to mark Remembrance Sunday. They give the opportunity to make individual, handwritten tributes, with poppies and crosses, to people who lost their lives serving in the Armed Forces. Representatives from HM Coastguard will attend to add their own contributions to the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey in London on 7 November when it will be opened to the public in a special ceremony.  Some of those making the trip to London explain how it feels to represent HM Coastguard and why it was important to be there.    Peter Bailey, Senior Maritime Operations Officer, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) It is a profound honour to represent HM Coastguard at the Field of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey this year. To stand alongside fellow servicemen and women, paying our respects to the veterans who sacrificed everything, will be a deep reminder of my own family’s connection to this leg

  James Stewart, Richard Taylor and Steven Thomas at the award ceremony. "Against all odds, two climbers in a tricky location during treacherous conditions were saved" A Coastguard helicopter crew has been celebrated for its courageous actions during the successful rescue of two trapped climbers.   The Honourable Company of Air Pilots’ eagerly anticipated Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award was presented to the crew of the Caernarfon- based aircraft in October, praising the dedicated and brave response during an extremely challenging rescue.  Just before 11pm on 7 May, 2023, the crew – made up of Captain David Kenyon, Co-pilot James Stewart, Winch Operator Richard Taylor and Winch Paramedic Steven Thomas – was sent by HM Coastguard to assist Mountain Rescue with two climbers stranded on Tryfan, a 3,000ft peak towering over Snowdonia.   The climbers were stuck on a heavily sloping grass ledge among vertical cliffs, at around 2,700ft.   Despite increasing turbulence and deter

Coastguard Rescue Officer Tom Nunnen -Wills F o r t u n e was on the side of two people who got into trouble in the water at Folkes tone harbour .   Folkestone Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT) had been busy all day on 8 October : supporting the police, a false alarm for someone in the sea , and even a report of concern for seal.   So when their pagers bleeped at about 5pm for an urgent situation at Folkestone ha rbour , they were ready to go. Quickly a rriv ing on the scene with Langdon CRT , t he y faced a complicated situation .    A man and woman had got into difficulty while rowing a tender out to a moored vessel. H e was in the water caught by a r o p e with his head only just above surface ; she was struggling in the tender as w a t e r came in over the side .   Dover Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre had sent an HM C oastguard search and rescue helicopter as well as the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Littlestone .   But with the situation serious , a c