Watch: The Maritime & Coastguard Agency's look back at 2019


This year, tens of thousands of people have visited our coasts and sailed on our seas.

Unfortunately, sometimes, things went wrong but when they did - we were there to help!

The MCA is constantly working to keep you safe. From our Surveyors who make sure vessels are safe, to our Coastguard Rescue Teams who leave their loved ones so that you make it home to yours, we’re all working together to ensure your safety.

Have a happy and safe New Year everyone!

Here’s a little taster of what we’ve been up to this year...


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Label your kit at the coast

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Kayaks. Canoes. Paddleboards. What do they all have in common? They’re quite often found on the coastline or drifting out to sea. And if we don’t know who they belong to, we can spend time searching for an owner when they’re home safe and sound. So please help us to help you. Label your kit so that if you do get separated from it, and it turns up somewhere, we can get hold of you. In recent weeks, our Coastguard Rescue Teams have found numerous items such as kayaks and canoes drifting out at sea or abandoned near the shoreline. Unfortunately, some of the items we have found have not had their owners’ contact details written on them nor been reported as missing to the Coastguard. As a result, it makes it difficult for us to find out who it belongs to and also means we can never be completely sure if someone is safe or in the worst case, in trouble at sea. This can place a huge strain on our resources especially during the busy summer period when we have to call upon our Coastgua
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