HM Coastguard

  Members of the boating community are being encouraged to ‘have their say’ on the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s new Code of Practice for Intended Pleasure Vessels and its supporting Guidance Notices as well as some new Exemptions. The public consultation launches tomorrow 1 August and runs for 8 weeks until the 26 September.    The Code of Practice for Intended Pleasure Vessels (IPV Code) and its supporting Guidance Notices – which will be introduced on 1 January 2019 - addresses temporary commercial use either for business purposes or as a race support boat.   The MCA is urging the boating community to read through the proposals on how they plan to make the water a safer place for everyone while giving the opportunity to legitimately operate commercially on a temporary basis for certain activities. The IPV Code team will be available to discuss the new framework at a series of key dates throughout the Southampton Boat Show. Additionally, the M...

HM Coastguard is warning yacht owners in and around the Oban area to take extra care today after weather conditions caused four yachts to need assistance overnight. The first instance happened around 10.30pm yesterday (28 July) when a yacht ran aground at Puilladobhrain Anchorage, just south of Oban. Three people were taken off the yacht by Oban RNLI lifeboat. The yacht was later refloated at high tide, checked over and moved to a safe place. Just half an hour later another yacht with one person on board reported dragging its anchor in Loch Feochan, also south of Oban. Oban Coastguard Rescue Team was sent but stood down when the weather improved and the yacht regained its anchor. At midnight a mayday was received from a yacht reporting it had run aground at Lismore. Oban RNLI lifeboat was again sent to stand by until the yacht – which had one person and a dog on board – was more accessible. Oban and Appin Coastguard Rescue Teams assisted with the communications. The yac...

Three people have been rescued after their boat began to sink in the Thames estuary earlier today. HM Coastguard received a call from the crew of the boat just before 3pm today (28) saying it was taking on water. Southend RNLI lifeboat and Sheerness Coastguard Rescue Team were called out as well as the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd. However, the helicopter was stood down after the lifeboat got to the scene first and rescued all three people. Ian Guy, duty controller for HM Coastguard said: ‘This was one of those moments that people need to be prepared for and in this case they were. They had an alerting system which brought attention to the problems they had and they were also wearing life jackets. All three have been safely rescued. ‘We always advise taking equipment that will alert the authorities in the event of a problem, a personal locator beacon or EPIRB or SafeTrx. And the wearing of lifejackets can be the difference between surviving and not su...

The search for a missing teenager, last seen in the water near Clacton Pier, Essex has continued this morning. Coastguard Rescue Teams from Clacton and Walton and the two Clacton lifeboats are currently searching the area, Essex Police are also on scene. We have no further information at this time.

The search for a missing teenager, who was last seen in the water near Clacton Pier, Essex, has been suspended for the night. HM Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public just before 6:20 this evening (26 July), saying that two boys were in difficulty in the water near Clacton Pier. The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd, Clacton, Walton and Holbrook Coastguard Rescue Teams, two RNLI lifeboats from Clacton, East of England Ambulance Service, their helimed and Essex Police were all sent. One boy was recovered from the water by the lifeboat, he was checked over for medical assessment before being reunited with his family. The second boy remains unaccounted for. The search will continue at first light in the morning. If you have any information regarding the incident please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard or the Police.

At around 9pm tonight the MV Priscilla was successfully re-floated.     Following an initial assessment it was agreed she was in safe condition to be towed to Scapa Flow, Orkney Isles.   The vessel will arrive tomorrow morning and will go to safe anchorage where a further assessment, including an underwater dive inspection, will be carried out.   A more detailed statement will be released tomorrow around midday.   UPDATE – MV PRISCILLA – 3PM Thursday 26 July 2018 The MV Priscilla remains stable and safely at anchor within Orkney Harbour’s jurisdiction of Scapa Flow.  MCA surveyors are onboard assessing the vessel and a dive inspection is still ongoing. Subject to the outcome of these inspections, a decision will be made regarding future plans for the vessel and her remaining cargo.  We expect to issue a statement tomorrow morning with an update of the way forward.  UPDATE – MV PRISCILLA...

‘An attempt to re-float the grounded vessel MV Priscilla may be made later tonight if the weather and tidal conditions are favourable’, says Acting SOSRep Hugh Shaw.   With the cargo discharge operations now complete, operations to prepare the vessel for a re-float moved a step closer today after a Salvage Control Unit (SCU) meeting reported good progress was being made.     If the weather and tidal conditions continue to hold, an attempt may be made to re-float the vessel later tonight at high water around 10pm.   If the re-float is successful, the vessel will be towed a safe distance from the grounding position location and will be held there until inspections confirm she is in a stable condition to undertake a short sea passage to a sheltered location.    Acting SOSRep Hugh Shaw said that, ‘a number of locations are still being considered and the final decision will be made once the structural integrity of the vessel has been e...

The owner of a small fishing vessel has been fined a total of £15,628 after being prosecuted by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency for operating an unsafe vessel and failing to comply with the small fishing vessel code of practice.     John Lake, director of John Lake Shellfish Ltd of Kings Lynn and owner of the 13-metre fishing vessel ‘Audrey Patricia’, appeared at Kings Lynn Magistrates Court today (25 July) where he pleaded guilty to both offences. Mr Lake was fined £4,500 for each offence, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and £6,458 towards the cost of the prosecution. The vessel had been subject to a pre-arranged inspection by the MCA at Boston and was found to have a catalogue of deficiencies related to emergency procedures and lifesaving equipment, which resulted in the vessel being detained. The deficiencies included emergency drills not being carried out by the crew, liferaft being nearly 4 years beyond its service date, missing and out of date ...

UPDATE POSITION STATEMENT MV PRISCILLA – Tuesday 24 July 2018   Acting SOSRep Hugh Shaw has said this morning that ‘Good progress is being made and the agreed quantity of bunkers has now been safely removed from MV Priscilla.   I am pleased to report that operations to prepare the vessel for a re-float are progressing well.’   At a meeting of the Salvage Control Unit (SCU) held earlier this morning further discussions were held to discuss the ongoing salvage and refloat of the vessel MV Priscilla, which remains in a stable condition but still hard aground.     In the past 24 hours the salvors - Multraship/Ardent/Wagenborg - have managed to successfully remove 28 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) from the vessel. Taking into account daily consumption for ship services, 15 tonnes of MGO will now be retained on board for essential services. The 4 tonnes of ‘solidified’ Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and 2 tonnes of Lubricating Oil (LO) will be retained ...

UPDATE POSITION STATEMENT MV PRISCILLA – Monday 23 July 2018   The vessel MV Priscilla remains in a stable condition but hard aground on the Pentland Skerries. The 6-person crew remain safe and well on board.   A Salvage Control Unit (SCU) meeting was held at 10am this morning, where the salvors - Multraship/Ardent/Wagenborg -   proposed salvage plan was discussed and approved by the Acting SOSRep, Hugh Shaw.  The Temporary Exclusion Zone (TEZ) has been extended to 1,000 metres as there will be increased activity around the vessel once operations start commencing.   The vessel is carrying 52 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil (MGO), 4 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), 2 tonnes of Lubricating Oil (LO) and has a cargo of 3,300 tonnes of bulk fertiliser in one cargo hold.   No pollution has been reported however, as a precautionary measure, it has been agreed to remove up to 35 tonnes of the MGO. The remaining MGO will be required for ship services, ...

Picture credit THURSO RNLI A consortium of experienced salvage companies – Multraship/Ardent/Wagenborg -  have now been appointed by the owner of MV PRISCILLA as their salvors.  Representatives from Ardent are expect to arrive at the vessel later this evening in order to carry out an initial assessment on Saturday 21 July.  Salvors have already commenced deploying equipment to the incident site.  It is expected that an outline salvage plan will be prepared for discussion between key stakeholders and the Acting SOSRep, Hugh Shaw for approval.  A Salvage Control Unit (SCU) will then be established near the incident. Acting SOSRep Hugh Shaw has established a Temporary Exclusion Zone of 500m around the incident site to ensure that there is no risk to the safety of persons engaged on the salvage operations and for other shipping traffic transiting or working in the area.  As there is adequate tug and salvage support on scene, the ETV ‘Ievoli Blac...

Image taken on scene by Thurso RNLI Lifeboat Just after 3.30am today (18 July) HM Coastguard received a report that a vessel had run aground on the Pentland Skerries approximately 5nm north east of Duncansby Head. The 89m cargo ship ‘Priscilla’ – with six people onboard - has reported no significant damage and there is no sign of any pollution on scene. Thurso All Weather Lifeboat and a tug vessel are currently making preparations to refloat the vessel.  The MCA’s ETV Ievoli Black is now on route to the vessel and is expected to arrive at around 6pm.  Kaimes Beasley, Duty Controller for HM Coastguard said:  ‘At this stage the vessel is stable and the crew on board are safe and well and there is no risk to life.  This incident is ongoing and we will provide further updates as the situation develops.’ UPDATE 12.20pm There are currently two tugs and the Thurso RNLI Lifeboat on scene with the grounded vessel ‘Priscilla’ in the Pentland Firth....

One of the new generation of MCA surveyors emerging under a graduate training scheme, Charles Blyth joined Brixham based Waterdance’s 33 metre beam trawler Margaret of Ladram for a trip, aiming to gain an insight into the practicalities of commercial fishing – during the hottest week of the summer. "I’m a year into a four-year graduate scheme,” he said, explaining that he came to the job straight from university and graduates with RINA-accredited degrees in naval architecture or marine engineering are generally candidates for this. As part of the scheme, budding surveyors are required to spend time at sea, and a trip on a beam trawler was seen as an ideal opportunity. “Next I expect to be spending a trip on a container vessel,” Charles said He explained that this was a seven day trip on Margaret of Ladram with chief mate Sean Beck sailing as skipper ,replacing regular skipper Adam Cowan-Dickie who was on a well-earned trip off. “The mate was Steven, ...