HM Coastguard

In the early hours of this morning (30 th August 2017) UK Coastguard received a report from a diving operations team at Hinkley Point who had discovered a 250lb suspected WW2 ordnance 2 miles North West of the power station. UK Coastguard has issued warning broadcasts advising vessels in the area of a 1000m exclusion zone around the ordnance to ensure they are kept at a safe distance. Ieuan Williams, Senior Maritime Operations Officer, UK Coastguard said:  "The Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team plan to detonate the ordnance at 6pm today. Until that time we have taken measures to set up an exclusion zone and clear the area of vessels to keep the public safe."

A search for a diver off Great Yarmouth continues today following an overnight air and sea search which began on Monday night. UK Coastguard was contacted at 6pm on Monday by the dive boat Raider V reporting a missing male diver 12 miles east of Great Yarmouth and a search was launched involving Coastguard rescue helicopters from Lydd and Humberside and RNLI lifeboats from Gorleston and Lowestoft along with the Caister Independent lifeboat.   The diver has not  been found and the search continues this morning.  The missing man is a 68 year old from the Brighton area who was diving on a wreck.

A 'haze' that is causing discomfort for people along the coast from Eastbourne to Birling Gap in Sussex has prompted emergency services to warn people to stay away from the beaches and to keep doors and windows closed, if living near the coast. The first report came from Birling Gap just before 5pm on Sunday (August 27) where up to 50 people had been affected by irritation to eyes and throats. The UK Coastguard, Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and the South Eastern Ambulance Service are all involved in dealing with the incident. Coastguard Rescue Teams from Birling Gap, Eastbourne, Bexhill and Newhaven have been involved in clearing the beaches in the area. RNLI Lifeboats from Eastbourne and Newhaven have been assisting by searching for people stuck on the shoreline. Steve Carson, commander with the UK Coastguard said: ‘We are working with the other emergency services in the area to help all those affected. Our Coastguard teams are out clearing...

A long-range rescue has been carried out to fly a crewman to hospital after he suffered an injury on board a fishing vessel more than 230 nautical miles from Stornoway. The call came into the UK Coastguard just after ten o’clock this morning (26 th August) reporting that the crew member had suffered a serious injury to his hand and needed hospital treatment. HM Coastguard search and helicopter from Stornoway was sent with the Coastguard fixed wing aircraft providing top cover and support. The crewman was winched onboard and then flown back to Stornoway where he was handed over the Scottish Ambulance Service and transferred to an air ambulance. Dai Jones, from the UK Coastguard said: ‘This vessel was a long way out which meant we had to provide top cover to support the helicopter as it flew out pick up this injured man. We’re always glad to play our part in helping to rescue people and wish this crewman well.’ Stock image: © MCA (Please note: the...

Four people had to be rescued earlier today after a speedboat started to sink just off Sandbanks near Poole. A call came into the UK Coastguard just before three o’clock this afternoon (26th August). Poole RNLI lifeboat and Coastguard Rescue Team were called to help – all those on board the speedboat were rescued safe and well.

After a recent spate of incidents, UK Coastguard has some timely safety tips for enjoying the beach and coastline safely without putting yourself in danger. Always check the weather and tidal conditions before you set out so that you can prepare accordingly.   It’s easy to get caught up in enjoying time on the beach or exploring coastal areas but make sure you keep a careful eye on the incoming sea tide which can quickly catch you out.  You can check tides at this link: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/ Always choose a lifeguarded beach if you can and b e careful where you swim – cold water shock, currents and rip tides are all factors which lead to even excellent swimmers getting into trouble. Stay within your depth and swim parallel to the shore.  Make sure you tell someone where you are going and what time youll be back. And remember if things do go wrong or if you see someone in difficulty, don’t hesitate to radio or call 999 and ask for the ...

Boat owners, shipping companies and anyone who puts out to sea need to make sure they’re ready for the changeover of some VHF channel numbers used to contact UK Coastguard. The changes to Appendix 18 (Marine VHF) of the Radio Regulations mean that existing channels will no longer be used for either Maritime Safety Information (MSI) or Radio Medical Advice. From 6 th September 2017, channels to use will be VHF 62, 63 and 64. The use of VHF Channel 10 for MSI and pollution control (back up) is unchanged. Mark Lawson from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said: ‘We’ve been putting information out about the changes for some months now and will continue to do so in the weeks running up to the changeover. ‘This is an absolute changeover so people do need to be ready to start using the channels from 10am on 6 th September. Although the MCA will keep the existing channels for about a year, they will not be routinely monitored. Your existing VHF radios should already have the new ...

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has made a new appointment to the vital role of Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSRep) Maritime Salvage & Intervention, which oversees the response to accidents at sea. Les Chapman has been appointed to the role and will join the Agency on Monday 21 August. He will work alongside the existing SOSRep Hugh Shaw OBE for several months, to allow a substantial transition period in this important role, and will not assume the role and responsibilities of the SOSRep until an agreed time later on in the year. The SOSRep is responsible for reducing the risk to safety and the environment arising from accidents at sea. Recent incidents which were overseen by the current SOSRep Hugh Shaw include the Transocean Winner rig grounding off the Isle of Lewis in 2016 and the Hoegh Osaka car carrier incident in the Solent in 2015. Mr Chapman (pictured left) is no stranger to the maritime world, having graduated from the...

On Tuesday (15 August), the UK Coastguard ARCC (Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre) received a call from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust​ requesting assistance in the rescue of a young boy hurt while rock climbing in the Wye Valley. The UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at St Athan was sent immediately to the location. The Bristol Filton air ambulance was already on scene, but needed assistance to extract the boy from a narrow ledge in the side of the steep wooded ravine, so had landed next to the river below.  The Severn Area Rescue Association​ (SARA) was also on scene, helping a local ambulance crew to look after him.  The Coastguard helicopter landed at the top of the ravine so that their winchman paramedic, Clive Stevens, could make his way down to the injured boy with a stretcher. The Bristol NHS Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) also attended and supported the Coastguard winchman as he prepared the boy for winching. The...

Kimmeridge Coastguard alerted to cliff walker at Durdle Door This photo was taken on route last week by our  Kimmeridge Coastguard  after they received a report of a cliff climber at Durdle Door. As they arrived on scene they were relieved to see the climber had made it to the top safely. Incidents like this are always worrying for us to see so we thought a few timely safety tips will help keep you safe at the coast! Use the designated paths, take notice of any warning signs and fences in place, be responsible and don’t take an unnece ssary risks. Do not attempt to climb up or down cliffs unless you are properly equipped and trained to do so. Do not attempt to climb cliffs as a short cut back to the top and again and do not attempt to self-rescue yourself or your dog if you get into difficulty. Make sure that you are properly equipped for walking along coastal paths. In particular remember to wear sturdy shoes or boots and check the weather forecast and tidal times...

Meanwhile off the coast of Wales, a different sort of rescue was taking place…Just after midnight (17 August) UK Coastguard received a faint Pan Pan broadcast from a lone yachtsman who’d been caught out in stormy weather whilst on route from Great Orme Head to the Mull of Galloway. The radio broadcast was clear enough to make out that he was in no danger and did not need immediate assistance, but he had become disorientated after the storm and his 29ft yacht had suffered engine failure.  The yachtsman’s VHF Radio had also broken in the storm and he was relying on a hand held radio which limited his signal strength.  The yachtsman could see that he was about 10 miles from the coast but could not say exactly where. The Coastguard was able to establish that the yacht was somewhere near Colwyn Bay and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Llandudno, Cemaes Bay and Penmon were sent to the Welsh coast to see if they could see his vessel from the shoreline. The UK Coastguard search and ...

Two Coastguard helicopter crews working together have flown 400 miles in Gale Force 9 conditions to help get an unwell crewman to hospital. The crewman became unwell last night on a fishing vessel over 200 miles from Stornoway. His condition meant that he needed to be transferred for urgent medical attention but the vessel’s distance from land created a challenge - not to mention the very rough seas that it was experiencing. The UK Coastguard was called and sent two HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopters, one from Inverness and one from Stornoway. With the Inverness helicopter acting as additional support known as top cover, Stornoway’s helicopter flew to the vessel and winched the man on board in deteriorating weather conditions. He was then flown back to Benbecula Airport where he was transferred to the Inverness aircraft and flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for further treatment. Captain Andy Pilliner piloted the Stornoway  Coastguard helicopter said:  ' As...

Sir Alan receiving his Honorary Fellowship from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Vice Admiral and Chief Executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) Sir Alan Massey has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN).  The highly-coveted accolade was presented to Sir Alan by the Royal Institute of Navigation’s Patron, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, at the Institute’s Annual Meeting held in London last month on 18 July. Sir Alan received the Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his and the MCA’s close and continuing engagement with the Royal Institute of Navigation. “Sir Alan Massey is widely and highly respected for his maritime leadership. Sir Alan has built strong links between the MCA and the Royal Institute of Navigation” said John Pottle, Director, Royal Institute of Navigation. “These linkages have been beneficial to many individuals and groups in both the MCA and RIN. We are delighted to recognise Sir...

Footage just released shows the incredible moment a Coastguard helicopter winchman was battered by waves as he rescued three casualties in Bude on Saturday. The UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Newquay was alerted by the Coastguard at 9.32pm on Saturday (12 August) to a person cut off by the tide clinging to the rocks at Bude, NorthCornwall.  It took the helicopter - flown by Captain Graham 'Sharky' FInn and Co-Pilot Captain Dave Crimmen - only 8 minutes to get into the air and by 9.53pm they had arrived on scene in Bude, which is 30 miles away. As they were racing to the scene, the Coastguard alerted the crew that there were two more people in the water who were attempting to rescue the first casualty. The cliff was inaccessible from above despite Devon and Cornwall Police and the Bude Coastguard Rescue Teams arriving quickly on scene. Coastguard Winch Operator Ginge Steabler said: “This was a challenging rescue for a number of reasons: firstly the wo...

A Coastguard rescue helicopter rescued three men from the sea off Bude this evening, after one was cut off by the tide and the other two got into difficulty attempting to rescue him. The UK Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public at 9.20 pm reporting that the three were in difficulty. Two of the men had been walking back to shore when one became cut off by the tide and was left clinging to rocks. A passerby, along with the second man, attempted to rescue the third man from the sea, but they got into difficulty too. The UK Coastguard sent the Bude Coastguard Rescue Team to the scene, requested the launch of the Bude and Padstow RNLI lifeboats and scrambled a Coastguard rescue helicopter. Due to the high surf on scene, the decision was made to winch all three men from the sea and rocks by Coastguard helicopter. Two of them have now been taken to hospital and the third was dropped off on shore. “This incident could so easily have turned into a really tragic ...

An injured jetskier has been airlifted to hospital this afternoon by Coastguard helicopter, following a collision between a jetski and a speedboat.   The UK Coastguard received a vhf call at 4.10 pm this afternoon reporting the incident off the Moelfre coast. Because the Moelfre Lifeboat Open Day was ongoing at the time, two Moelfre RNLI lifeboats were on scene immediately and recovered the man from the water. The Coastguard helicopter was scrambled and a short time later the man was winched from the lifeboat and airlifted to Bangor Hospital. The Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Team also attended the scene.

Copyright MCA The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is continuing to monitor the response to the break-away of large bore plastic pipes that came free whilst under tow off the East Anglian coast.   There are twelve (12) sections of pipe overall, with eight (8) secured and under control off the East Anglian coast line, with guard vessels in attendance.  Four (4) pipe sections have recently broken away from their moorings and beached at Eccles on Sea, Sea Palling and Winterton (Horsey).    Dutch Marine BV supported by Marine and Towage Services are working to remove the four pipes which have beached and to make the area secure.  The MCA is working with industry, Local Government, Environmental Regulators and port authorities in Norfolk and Suffolk to resolve the matter as safely and as quickly as possible.  The pipes are brand new and were manufactured by Pipelife Norge AS in Norway, they were destined for a large project in Alge...