HM Coastguard

At just after 3pm this afternoon, a 999 call alerted Humber Coastguard to a number of goats that had gone over the cliffs at Waxholme, near Withernsea, East Yorkshire. The owner of the goats said that the herd had been attacked by two husky dogs, and it was thought one of the goats had been killed. The remaining goats had run away, straight over cliffs, and were stuck in mud and injured. Humber Coastguard sent a number of Coastguard Rescue Teams to carry out the rescue. These teams were from Withernsea, Hornsea, Easington and Bridlington. When the teams arrived at the scene the weather conditions were poor with very high winds. The goat’s owner said that she would attempt to rescue them herself but the team reassured her that they would rescue the goats. The whole operation took two hours and a pregnant Nanny goat, along with a small kid goat were successfully lifted to safety. Mike Puplett, Watch Manager Humber Coastguard said : “We will always attempt to rescue animals, wh

A Polish registered Sail Training Vessel ‘ Fryderyk Chopin’ is awaiting assistance after losing one of its two masts 99 miles south west of the Isles of Scilly. Container Vessel ‘Andromodar’, Bulk Carrier ‘Cornelia’ which are both 6 hours away and a large Fishing Vessel ‘Nova Spirro’ which is expected on scene in 12 hours. Rescue helicopter 193 from RNAS Culdrose is on standby on the Isles of Scilly. -Ends- Notes to Editors MCA press releases will not be distributed by NDS or available on their website from 05/10/10. If you don’t receive our press releases by email and would like to please call 023 8032 9401. Stay safe - before heading out on the water get trained, check weather and tides, wear a lifejacket, avoid alcohol and keep in touch. The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: (023) 8032 9401 Press releases an

Specialist Fire Service personnel from Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service who were earlier taken out to the fish factory ship, the ‘Athena’, which was being held off Falmouth, have now been evacuated from the vessel. In total 28 personnel were taken off earlier this evening by a mix of helicopter, Falmouth lifeboat, the ‘LK Mitchell’, a Falmouth pilot boat and local vessel ‘SMS Volonia’. Remaining personnel which included an MCA marine casualty officer; a member of the harbour masters staff and ship crew have also come off the vessel as a result of the danger of fumes and chemicals being held on board. Porthousestock and Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent to meet those being evacuated. Earlier the fire service personnel had been deployed on board and were boundary cooling in the processing area where the initial fire was located. The Secretary of State’s Representative in Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) Hugh Shaw, has now taken over control of the situation and i

Milford Haven Coastguard have been coordinating assistance this afternoon to a 30 year old woman who had fallen at Skrinkle Haven near Tenby in Wales, and suffered what appeared to be a broken wrist or arm. The woman who was staying at Manorbier, had fallen near to a cave and was now on rocks to the west of the beach. Her young son (aged 11) was with her at the time along with another youngster, aged 14. The tide was coming in and there was no access out of the area, which allowed her evacuation from the area only by sea. Another member of the public who had witnessed the accident called the Coastguard for assistance. The Tenby Coastguard Rescue Team were immediately turned out and the RNLI Tenby All weather Lifeboat with their ‘Y’ boat on board was also asked to launch. A rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor was also scrambled given the inaccessibility of the area. The weather on scene late this afternoon was southwesterly winds force 5 to 7 with moderate seas and squally showers. F

At just after 6.00 am this morning Falmouth Coastguard were alerted to a major fire on board the 89 metre Faroese registered fish factory ship ‘Athena’ which is 230 miles south west of the Isles of Scilly and 270 nautical miles   west of the Pointe Du Penmarche at Brittany. The vessel has 111 people on board. The Master of the ‘Athena’ evacuated 81 non essential personnel to liferafts whilst his remaining crew continued to fight the fire which is located in the port side forward processing area of the vessel. The Master has indicated that the fire is lessening, although it is not out yet. A Falcon 50 fixed wing aircraft was scrambled from a French airfield to provide a communications link and a Royal Navy helicopter from RNAS Culdrose was scrambled to the Scillies to refuel. Due to the distances a rescue helicopter would only have 20 minutes above the scene before having to return for fuel. Falmouth Coastguard relayed the mayday signal into the area and 5 ships responded to the emer

Her Majesty’s Coastguard and Devon and Cornwall Police are jointly appealing this evening for the owner of a red surfboard to come forward and both claim his or her board and stand down an ongoing search. Earlier today, a major search was launched in Watergate Bay near Newquay when an old fashioned single fin, seven foot, dark red surf board was located on the beach after being washed up in line with the restaurant. The board has had a fresh wax and the leash is intact. A velcro strap attached was open. It was found by a local family who were on the beach at the time. The police have had no reports of missing individuals and the Newquay Coastguard Rescue Team were turned out to begin a search for any other evidence such as discarded clothing. The weather conditions on the beach have been a 2 – 3 foot surf with a cross shore wind most of the day. One surfer described the board belonging to a male in his 20s wearing a black wetsuit, who was last seen at around 4.45pm . Both Newquay

At just after 5.00 pm this evening, Humber Coastguard received a call from a 60 year old man who reported that he thought he was stuck at Skirlington, on Skipsea beach, near the caravan park. The tide was coming in, and he was unable to make it off the beach. The Hornsea Coastguard Rescue Team was immediately turned out to assess the situation in case a rescue from seaward was required, whilst Humber Coastguard attempted to clarify as darkness fell, exactly where the stranded man was on the beach, a distance of about 6 miles from Hornsea. A rescue helicopter, R 128, was also scrambled. Peter Macauley, Watch Manager at Humber Coastguard said “In trying to locate where exactly the man was on a very long stretch of beach, we identified with the stranded man that he had set off walking from Skirlington towards Skipsea at around 2.30 pm this afternoon. He had gone down onto the beach at approximately 3.45 pm to make the return walk to Skirlington. He described that he had passed a woo

At 13.06 pm , a Coastguard on radar duty at Dover Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) spotted a shadow on his screen that was unlike the usual ship symbols on his radar. The position was quickly identified as three miles off the entrance to the Port of Dover .   An attempt to communicate with the vessel by VHF radio was unsuccessful.   The vessel was heading for Dover but was being carried by the wind and the currents backwards at 3 knots. The wind at Dover at the moment is Gale force 8 winds with rough seas. The vessel was identified as being a converted Dutch river barge with three people onboard.   The vessel is on passage from Nieuport , Belgium to Dover , and is 65 feet long with a 14 foot beam. 3.3 foot draught and weighs 33 tons. Dover Coastguard requested the launch of the Dover RNLI lifeboat to go to the position of the vessel and confirm their situation and assist as necessary. Once the lifeboat arrived with the vessel, they were able to communicate with the c

At a hearing today in Newcastle Magistrates Court, the Owners of the UK registered container ship Maersk Patras pleaded guilty to eight charges of failing to provide adequate hours of rest for the crew and one charge of failing to improve the situation.   In September 2009, the MCA conducted an audit on board the Maersk Patras at Bremerhaven. It was noticed that the Captain, Officers and other crew members had not been having the required periods of rest as laid down by international agreements.   The company, A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S of Denmark, were informed of these concerns but failed to correct matters and the breaches of the regulations continued. On the 25th January 2010, the MCA issued the company with an Improvement Notice which required them to rectify the position by the 28th February 2010.  They also failed to comply with that notice.   A.P.Moller-Maersk were fined £18,500 plus costs of £4,439.27   Neil Atkinson, Marine Surveyor, Maritime and Coastguard Agency sai

Humber Coastguard are reminding everyone to check tide tables before they set out after two separate groups of people were cut off this afternoon on the North East coast. The first incident, reported at just before 3pm by a member of the public, was of four teenagers cut off by the tide on St Mary’s Island. They were seen sheltering by the lighthouse having just left it too late to make the return journey across the causeway. The second incident was reported by a fisherman just six minutes later. A man and Marley, his black Labrador, were seen stuck on the beach at Ryhope with the tide rising around them. Because of the rough sea conditions RAF Rescue 131 was called from Boulmer to lift the people (and dog) back to safety from both incidents. Sunderland Coastguard Rescue team made their way to Ryhope just incase the man and dog needed to be evacuated up the cliff face before the helicopter arrived. Humber Coastguard Watch Manager Graham Dawson said: “The teenagers weren’t real

test

test

At  9pm on Tuesday the 19th October the Corpach Coastguard Rescue team were called out by Clyde Coastguard following a call made to them from Fort William Police reporting a voice or voices coming from the sea somewhere along the Caol shoreline.  When the Coastguard arrived the Police on scene said they could hear calls for help. Coastguard team members Ewen Leslie, Dawna Connolly and Jason Thurston entered the water wearing dry suits and lifejackets and with high powered torches located a person and assisted the male to shore. He was very hypothermic and was transferred immediately to the Belford Hospital. He was able to report that whilst out in his canoe with his dog he had capsized and had been in the water for over an hour shouting for help. The Coastguard team remained on scene and carried out a search of the immediate area for the dog and just as they were about to give up heard a dog barking in the distance. The dog, a lurcher called Finnigan, had swam to a nearby Island. The

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that 10 foreign flagged ships were under detention in UK ports during September 2010 after failing Port State Control ( PSC ) inspection.   Latest monthly figures show that there were 9 new detentions of foreign flagged ships in UK ports during September 2010 and 1 vessel under detention from previous months. The overall rate of detentions compared with inspections carried out over the last twelve months was 3.5% this is slightly down from August’s twelve month rate.   During the month of September178 Port State Control inspections were carried out in the UK . A total of 65 vessels had no deficiencies raised against them, 81 had between one and five deficiencies, 17 had between six and ten deficiencies, 11 had between eleven and twenty deficiencies and 4 vessels had more than twenty deficiencies.   Out of the detained vessels 8 were registered with flag states listed on