HM Coastguard

Coastguards from across the South West have been working throughout the weekend to assist in a major incident in Exeter.  At around 5pm on Friday (26 th  Feb) HM Coastguard received a call from Devon & Cornwall Police requesting assistance after a piece of WW2 ordnance was found in Glenthorne Road, Exeter. Coastguard rescue officers and staff from across the South West were called in to help. All while ensuring that coastguard rescue teams could still respond to incidents around the coast. The detonation of the suspected 1,000kg Hermann bomb by the Royal Logistics Corp ordnance disposal team, was planned for around 6pm on Saturday. This meant that 2600 properties, in a 400m radius of Glenthorne Road, including 1400 university students from the University of Exeter would need to be evacuated. Coastguards from 11 coastguard rescue teams worked with staff and volunteers from other organisations to door knock and leaflet drop, to ensure that everyone knew they had to leave their homes

 A Family has been given safety advice after they were camping dangerously close to a cliff edge, on the Cleveland Way, North Yorkshire.  Credit: Alastair Smith   HM Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public just after 13:00 yesterday (27 th Feb) when they were concerned after seeing a tent dangerously close to the cliff edge.  Staithes and Whitby Coastguard Rescue Teams found two adults and a child who pitched their tent near to the 280ft drop.  North Yorkshire Police were also informed and sent an office due to the possible breach of current COVID-19 restrictions. The coastguard rescue teams gave safety advice to the family, who appeared to be were unaware of the dangers. Adam Turner, Senior Coastal Operations Officer for HM Coastguard said, ‘The family were in an extremely perilous position and had no idea of the danger that they were in. Cliff edges are really unstable and can easily collapse as recent landslips have shown. ‘If you live near the coast an

A family has been rescued after being caught out by the incoming tide at Southwick Water, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.  HM Coastguard received a 999 call just after 11:30 this morning (27 th February) after two adults and a young child got cut off by the tide at Black Burn while going for a walk along Southwick Water. The family had entered a cave and water quickly came in behind them leaving them cut off and up to their waists in water. Thankfully they had a mobile phone and were able to call the Coastguard for help. A Senior Coastguard Operations Officer, Coastguard rescue teams from Annan and Portling, Kippford RNLI Lifeboat and Nith Inshore Independent Lifeboat were all sent.  The family were rescued by Kippford lifeboat and taken to shore where they were met by Portling Coastguard Rescue Team. Although cold and shocked the family didn’t need any further medical assistance. Graham Edgar, Senior Maritime Operations Officer for HM Coastguard said: 'The family w

HM Coastguard called in explosives experts and other authorities to a beach in Formby, Merseyside following a report of a suspected metre-long wartime bomb. In co-ordinating the response to the incident, Southport and Crosby Coastguard Rescue Teams and Senior Coastal Operations Officers, the Royal Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), the lifeboat from the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust and Merseyside Police were on the scene this morning (26 February). The report of the ordnance was made to HM Coastguard Operations Centre at Holyhead by Merseyside Police at 8.45pm last night (25 February) following a report from a local member of the public. Photographs were sent to the Navy’s EOD team and they arrived on scene in the early hours of this morning to prepare for the safe detonation. The device was cylindrical and estimated to weigh around 1000lb. It was safely detonated by the EOD under the water at around 11am today.   Video taken from a safe distance by Southport independen

Her Majesty’s Coastguard is wishing a very happy retirement to Martin Sykes, who has been a valued member of the team at the Shetland Coastguard Operations Centre for over a quarter of a century. Martin joined the Coastguard in 1995 as an Operations Room Assistant (ORA) and later, in December 1996, became a full-time Coastguard Watch Assistant (CWA). He then went to work in other roles, including Watch Officer and Maritime Operations Officer and Senior Operations; and also gained a Search and Rescue Mission Coordinators (SMC) qualification. For many years, Martin has helped to coordinate responses to incidents on the Island, throughout the rest of Scotland and further afield. Martin, who was a lab technician in Teesside before moving to Shetland in the mid-1990s, completed his final shift this month and received leaving gifts from colleagues, which included cake (and plenty of it!), lots more sweet and savoury snacks and beverages, a coastguard mug and a coastguard-themed retirement ca

It’s not exactly been the best year for love – or much else for that matter – but not even COVID-19 has been able to diminish our deep love for HM Coastguard and the men and women that protect us, asking for nothing in return. So, we thought it would be a good time to share in a bit of that affection this Valentine’s Day and thank our Coastguard teams across the country for their hard work and kindness in ensuring our safety and wellbeing. In the last year, with the country in and out of lockdown and struggling to cope with a virus wreaking havoc across the world, our Coastguards have been prepared and willing to do what they can to help. Across the country, their support for our emergency service partners has been invaluable and they have helped ease a bit of the pressure on the NHS in these troubling times. Despite all this, they’ve still been saving life and limb – and protecting our shores. Give some love to your local coastguard team this Valentine's Day Station officer

HM Coastguard has been coordinating the response after a fishing vessel collided with a bulk tanker about 25 nautical miles off Selsey Bill. The incident happened just after 3am today (12 Feb) and the HM Coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-Solent and RNLI lifeboat from Selsey were both sent. There are six crew on board the fishing vessel and 20 on the tanker. There are no reported injuries and all are accounted for. Damage is superficial to the tanker which has now continued on its way and there is only minor damage to the fishing vessel. There are no reports of pollution and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s duty counter pollution team have been called as a precaution. Andrew Follows, senior maritime operations officer with HM Coastguard said: “We’re so thankful that this was a relatively minor collision and that no one has been injured. “We sent the helicopter for safety overwatch while the lifeboat arrived. The RNLI lifeboat is staying with the fishing vessel until they and we are

This Student Volunteering Week 2021, taking place from 8th – 14th February, we're shining the spotlight on Olivia Letchford, who is not only a volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer with our Hayling Island Coastguard Rescue Team but also a second year student, studying at the University of Portsmouth. Olivia, 20, joined the coastguard in January of last year – following in the footsteps of her dad, Martin, who has been a volunteer with the coastguard for over 25 years and also worked in various other roles with Her Majesty’s Coastguard.  With the ongoing COVID-19 situation, Olivia has spent much of the past year – like many people – working remotely; in her case studying as part of her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business course. Whilst studying from home can have its limitations, Olivia has managed to get out and about with her coastguard commitments. “Last year – like this year, too – was challenging for everyone and it was a bit of a balancing act for me," said Olivia, wh

HM Coastguard is warning people to stay well away from cliff edges and the bottom of cliffs following a spate of recent rainy weather resulting in unstable areas near the coast and sea. At Whipsiderry Beach near Newquay, Cornwall there was a cliff fall on Sunday (7th February). Sadly, the rocks fell on a family dog burying it under the rubble and narrowly missing the owner who was warned by another member of the public that the cliff was about to give way for a second time.  Elsewhere, in Aycliffe, Kent, a group of five people were warned to move away from cliff edges following a recent cliff fall. A further cliff fall at Scratby in Norfolk was also reported to the coastguard. A large gap, which has now been cordoned off by coastguards, opened up in the coastal path between Seaford Head and Hope Gap in Seaford, East Sussex. And near Swanage, Dorset, a Coastguard Rescue Team investigated a rock slip at Sheps Hollow and cordoned the area off. Dai Jones, Coastguard Duty Controller said: “

Summer or winter, when storms, high winds and bad weather are forecast, extra care is needed around our coasts.  Whatever the weather or season our advice is the same, we want you and your loved ones to avoid any safety ‘slip-ups’. Caught in a storm? Don't chance it. Poor weather brings extra challenges for anyone planning to ‘brrrrrave’ the coastal gales, especially those out and about  on clifftops and beaches. Large unpredictable waves pose a special risk "No matter how dramatic the picture, no selfie is worth risking your life for." Here's our top 7 safety tips for stormy weather: Selfies; It’s not worth risking your life for ‘that selfie’.  Keep off groynes, piers, jetties and harbour walls. Big waves can knock you over in a flash. If you can feel the spray, you’re too close. Cliffs can be very dangerous and prone to rockslides and falls at any time, especially after prolonged periods of wet weather. Large rocks and boulders can come crashing down with little or

HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter team in Stornoway is providing additional resilience to the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting NHS Western Isles in the transfer of vulnerable patients on Barra. The helicopter has been sent in response to requests from the NHS to move those people most at risk of serious illness after testing positive for the virus, to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway. This ensures they receive the urgent care they need as quickly as possible. This is in addition to the coastguard aircraft’s search and rescue response duties – January 2021 was the busiest month on record for the Stornoway base, since it was opened in 2013.  Claire Hughes, Director of HM Coastguard, said: “Her Majesty’s Coastguard will always be there to support our emergency service partners, wherever and in whichever way we can. “The Stornoway helicopter is making a huge difference in transferring those patients who need help the most, to ensure that they get the car

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency through its Counter-Pollution officers and HM Coastguard continue to monitor a drill ship which broke loose from its mooring at Hunterston Terminal in Ayrshire yesterday evening (02 February). HM Coastguard received a mayday call just after 7.20pm after the ship, with eight crew on board, started to drift without power. The vessel was able to remain anchored off Hunterston. The engines have now been restored and the ship’s technical managers are working with the Port Authority to return the ship to a place of safety. A moored vessel at the terminal has also required assistance in the worsening weather and is currently being helped to hold its position by four tugs. The Girvan RNLI lifeboat, senior coastal operations officers and coastguard rescue teams from across the area remain on scene to provide support.