HM Coastguard

An extensive search has been carried out of the area around Portsmouth Harbour following reports of a man overboard from a ferry. Despite a thorough and comprehensive search by two RNLI lifeboats from Portsmouth, HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent, Hillhead and Portsmouth Coastguard Rescue Teams and other vessels in the area, nothing has been found. The search has now been suspended, pending further information. It is now a missing person enquiry and will be handed over to the police.

HM Coastguard is coordinating a search and rescue mission after reports of a man overboard off a ferry near Portsmouth Harbour. The Mayday call came in around 10.50am today (29 August) and an extensive search is being carried out of the area. Two RNLI lifeboats from Portsmouth, the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent, Hillhead and Portsmouth Coastguard Rescue Teams are all involved.  Also assisting are harbour patrol vessels and a Royal Navy vessel. HM Coastguard has also broadcast a relay to vessels in the area requesting they respond, and assist with the search. We have no further information at this time.

A bell from a World War One shipwreck which took the lives of more than 600 South Africans has been returned to the South African people over a century after the ship sank. Mendi Bell © MCA The SS Mendi sank off the Isle of Wight in 1917 while carrying more than 800 men of the South African Native Labour Corps to support the war effort on the Western Front. It was the worst maritime disaster in South Africa’s history, and the Mendi Bell – which has become a symbol of the country’s First World War remembrance – was found and restored last year after being originally salvaged from the shipwreck in the 1980s. The Mendi bell was given to BBC reporter Steve Humphrey in 2017 in a plastic bag at Swanage Pier, Dorset, after an anonymous phone call. Receiver of Wreck Alison Kentuck with BBC's Steve Humphrey He in turn gave it to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s Receiver of Wreck, Alison Kentuck, who then had to determine legal ownership of the bell and make the decis...

The remaining 2 crewman from a sunken fishing vessel have been located by a Coastguard helicopter and airlifted to shore. The crew men were confirmed deceased. Aimee Rampton, Coastguard Operations Controller said, ‘The helicopter located the bodies of the missing crew near the sunken fishing vessel wreckage. All units have now stood down. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the crew men.’ Formal identification of the bodies is yet to take place.

HM Coastguard is co-ordinating a search for 2 missing men whose fishing vessel sank approximately 25 miles North East of Great Yarmouth. The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Humberside is on scene, along with RNLI lifeboats from Gorleston and the independent life boat from Caister. Other vessels in the area are also involved in the search effort. Lee Duncan, Coastguard Operations Controller for the East Coast, said ‘The crew of the sunken fishing vessel are all foreign nationals, we know that the three recovered men had been in the life raft for four hours before they were spotted by the cruise ship. We believe the two missing crew were seen to enter the water.’ This is an ongoing incident and we have no further information at this time.

A kayak which slipped loose from its tow has sparked an extensive search and rescue effort off Moelfre, north Wales this afternoon. The kayak was spotted around 1.40pm today (24 August) and reported to HM Coastguard. Moelfre lifeboats, along with Cemaes and Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent to search along with the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Caernarfon. However it was found that the kayak had come loose from its tow and was just drifting with no-one on board. Linda Roberts, senior maritime operations officer for HM Coastguard said: ‘Every time we receive a report where lives could be at stake, we have to carry out a search and rescue. We treat every emergency call on that basis. This afternoon we launched all the essential people and crews to go and search for someone who might have got into difficulty. ‘All it needed was for someone to contact us and tell us what had happened and all this would have been prevented. Please take a moment to ...

HM Coastguard coordinated the search and rescue after a swimmer got into difficulties and had to be airlifted from a ledge at Durdle Door, Dorset. The call came in just after 4pm yesterday (23) reporting that the woman had tried to swim through the arch but had been swept onto the rocks by the current. Lulworth and Kimmeridge Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent, along with the HM Coastguard helicopter based at Lee-on-Solent. The helicopter winched her from the ledge, returning to her to the cliff top where she was checked over by one of the Kimmeridge CRT members who is a paramedic. Duty controller for HM Coastguard, Duncan Ley, said: ‘This is one of those incidents which provides a stark reminder of how unforgiving the sea can be. What starts off seemingly as a fun swim can soon change. Tides, currents and even a sudden weather change, can make what seem an ordinary swim, suddenly very dangerous. We want everyone to enjoy their day at the coast, but we also want them to com...

Our Newquay Coastguard helicopter turned airborne maternity unit on Saturday night when  a baby boy was born whilst the helicopter was in flight, 1400ft over Penzance, Cornwall. HM Coastguard’s Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre, was called by South West Ambulance at 1900 hrs to request assistance with a woman who had gone into labour whilst visiting the Isles of Scilly. Since there was not a midwife on the islands on Saturday the Mum, ‘Bump’ and Dad needed to be evacuated from the islands to a hospital on the mainland. The Newquay Coastguard helicopter was scrambled, collected a midwife en route, touched down at St Mary’s airport, picked up the man and woman then began the trip to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, near Truro . However, the baby boy was in such a hurry he decided to make a guest appearance onboard the aircraft. At 2053 hrs, with the help of the midwife and aircrew, the healthy baby boy was born. Jonathan Mustard, Aeronautical Operati...

HM Coastguard is appealing for information about the owner of a small blue vessel after receiving reports of debris washing ashore at Scratchells Bay near the Needles earlier this afternoon.    The debris was first reported just before 1pm by the Needles National Coastwatch Institute.  Needles and Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Teams and the Mudeford, Lymington and Yarmouth RNLI lifeboats have been searching the area.  HM Coastguard Lee-on-Solent helicopter has now joined the search.  Pan Pan and Mayday relay broadcasts have been made to all vessels in the area to keep a sharp lookout for further debris or someone in distress.   Mat McInally Duty Controller for HM Coastguard said:  ‘We have reported the debris findings to Hampshire Police and they have told us they have had no reports of anyone missing.  We are appealing to the owner of the vessel to come forward or to anyone that might have any information about a blue vessel i...