HM Coastguard

A search is underway for a missing person after a small boat capsized on Loch Etive, North of Oban. Clyde Coastguard received information regarding the incident at 4:27pm from the Northern Constabulary. It is believed that there were five people fishing on the small open boat on Loch Etive.   The boat capsized and four of the five occupants managed to make their way to the shoreline where the alarm was raised.   Coastguard Rescue officers from Oban and Appin are carrying out a shore line search, with the assistance of the Coastguard vessel ‘Hawk’. The launch of the Oban RNLI lifeboat was also requested and the RAF Rescue helicopter has been scrambled as well as the Stratchclyde Police helicopter. Mountain Rescue team are on scene as well as Police from the Northern Constabulary.   Tarik Yassen, Watch Manger, Clyde Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said: "The search is currently ongoing; it will of course have to be suspended over the hours of darkness but will be resumed

Two boys have been rescued this afternoon after getting into difficulty after jumping from Bridlington Harbour wall. Bridlington Harbour Authority contacted Humber Coastguard when two boys were seen jumping off the harbour wall (10 – 15 foot drop); they were then unable to get back to the steps due to the harsh sea conditions. Humber Coastguard sent Coastguard Rescue Officers from Bridlington to the scene and requested the launch of the RNLI Bridlington inshore lifeboat.   Humberside Police and Yorkshire Ambulance were also requested to attend. Lynda Bell - Watch Officer, Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said:   "The boys were unable to get back to the steps to safety with the weather conditions on scene being easterly winds gusting to 26 knots with strong spray and surf it made the rescue of the boys from the lifeboat very difficult. I am pleased to say the boys are now safe and well but this incident could easily have developed into something far more serious.

A man and woman aboard a 21 foot sailing yacht have been rescued this morning West off the Isle of Jura. At 10:30am , one of the crew aboard the yacht made an emergency ‘999’ mobile phone call to the Coastguard requesting assistance. The crew had lost their forward hatch and was experiencing strong winds and rough seas, which necessitated bailing water out of the forward cabin. The yacht was north of the entrance to Loch Tarbert. Clyde Coastguard immediately issued a Mayday Relay to all vessels in the area and requested the launch of the Islay RNLI lifeboat. The Rescue helicopter from RNAS Gannet at Prestwick was scrambled to the scene. Irene Reid, Watch Officer at Clyde Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said: "We were very fortunate to receive their mobile phone call as communications in this area are notoriously difficult. As a result of the Mayday Relay broadcast, a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat ‘Red Bay 10’ which was at a nearby Regatta was able to offer assistance a

Press release: 115-11                                                                     29 April 2011 At 1.40 pm Forth Coastguard received a 999 call reporting a motor boat broken down and three people in the water. The small motor boat had broken down and some of the party had entered the water. The motor boat had been launched at Port Edgar and had ten people onboard. Queensferry and Kinghorn Coastguard teams were called and Queensferry RNLI Inshore Lifeboat was requested to launch, Scottish Ambulance and Granton Sector Manager were also called. The three men were recovered from the water by the lifeboat and the vessel towed into Dalgety Bay, everyone was recovered ashore and two men were taken by ambulance to hospital suffering from mild hypothermia. Following that incident Forth Coastguard received a further 999 call reporting peddle craft with 3 persons on board in difficulty just outside Elie harbour. Anstruther RNLI All Weather Lifeboat and Leven Coastguard Rescue Team wer

Press Notice No: 114-11                                                                        28 April, 2011 At 05.35 pm today, London Coastguard received multiple 999 calls from members of the public reporting a man attempting to swim across the River Thames from Kingston. The man reported that the swimmer whilst part way across disappeared below the surface. A man from a passing vessel entered the water to try and locate the swimmer but had to get back onto his vessel after being unsuccessful. London Coastguard requested the launch of both Teddington RNLI lifeboats, the Met Police and London Ambulance services were also in attendance. London Fire Brigade mobilized their fireboat Fireflash, six fire appliances, three fire and rescue units which deployed two rescue boats and a command unit. The police helicopter India 99 also conducted a search from the air. The search has now been stood down with no trace of the swimmer. Matt Leat, London Coastguard Operator said: Swimming across th

Press Notice No: 113-11                                                                        28 April, 2011 Sector Manager Barry Scott being lowered down the cliff to rescue boy. At 14.12 pm, Milford Haven coastguard received a 999 call from the father of a 12 year old boy, reporting that his son was stuck up a cliff and on a safe ledge out of danger but   scared. The boy was 25 metres up from the bottom, he had found it easy to get up but not to get down. Milford Haven called out the Dale and Broadhaven Coastguard rescue teams and the South Pembrokeshire and Preselli Sector Managers were called out. His son was away collecting treasures, bit of wood, nets etc and saw old rope up the cliff   at a height 25 metres, he decided to climb up to it, got half way up gully when he realised he couldn`t get down, so he made his way to the top of a gully to a ledge where he rested and wait for assistance. The team lowered a cliffman to the boy and they were then lowered to the beach. He was un

Press release: 112-11                                                                     28 April 2011 At 22.15pm MRCC Falmouth received a 999 call from a member of a climbing group at Bosigran in North West Cornwall. The caller reported that two of their group had last been seen at 1100 in the morning when they had gone to climb in the Great Zawn area. The group were all due to meet up again at 20.30 pm but these two had not returned. The St Ives and Lands End Coastguard rescue teams were called out, St Ives RNLI All Weather Lifeboat and Inshore Lifeboat were requested to launch and Rescue Helicopter R193 was scrambled. As the teams and the lifeboats were commencing their search R193 located the two climbers at the base of the cliffs at a climb called Xanadu. In order to winch the climbers from their position, the helicopter R193 had to manoeuvre right in under the cliffs even disappearing from the view of Coastguards on the cliff top. The two climbers were winched to R193 wher

Press Notice No:   111-11                                                                           27 April, 2011 At 15.05 pm, Humber Coastguard received a call from North Yorkshire police after a lady walked into the Filey police station to report that her husband and 14 yr old son were cut off by the tide. The son had attempted to climb to safety and was part way up the cliff. His father was stuck on rocks with his collie dog. Humber Coastguard called out the Filey Coastguard rescue team, requested the launch of the Filey RNLI inshore lifeboat and scrambled a helicopter. All three were winched to a place of safety on top of the cliff by the helicopter, where they were met by waiting coastguard rescue officers who transported them to meet up with mother and wife. Graham Dawson, Watch Manager, Humber Coastguard said: Always remember to check tide times when going to the beach. Know your surroundings, and seek local advice. If you see anyone in trouble at the sea or on the coast dial

Press Notice No: 110-11                                                             25 April, 2011 At 06.37 pm, Swansea Coastguard was alerted by the skipper of a yacht called Portessa. The skipper expressed some concern of his fellow yachtsman who had not arrived at the Marina. The overdue vessel is called Summersalt. The skipper of the Portessa reported that he lost sight of him in mist at 12:00, the Summersalt was making an estimated 4.5 knots and was approx 7 miles offshore. He has a small outboard on his yacht but that had suffered with engine problems. There is one man onboard whose age is over sixty. Swansea Coastguard has been using several units to search for this man and his yacht as there is concern for his wellbeing. Coastguard rescue teams from Penarth, Ilfracombe, Watchet, Barry were called out RNLI lifeboats from Porthcawl and Barry Dock have also been involved in the search and R169 was also scrambled. South Wales police were also informed. Dai Jones, Watch Manager, Sw

Press release: 109-11                                                                     23 April 2011 At 13.05 pm , Belfast Coastguard received multiple 999 calls reporting a group of kayakers in difficulty. The callers stated that they could see a group of twelve kayakers in difficulty off Portballintrae, Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland. Belfast Coastguard called out the Coleraine Coastguard Rescue Team and requested the launch of the Portrush RNLI lifeboats. On arrival the Coleraine Coastguard Rescue team kept the kayakers under observation and directed the Portrush RNLI inshore lifeboat to the Kayakers. It was quickly established some of the group had become exhausted and suffering from sea sickness. Eleven of the group where transferred onto the large all weather Portrush Lifeboat whilst the Inshore Lifeboat escorted the one remaining kayaker back to Portballintrae Harbour. The Portrush Lifeboat then transferred the eleven rescued kayakers who were mainly teenagers to the s

Dylan the black Labrador had a lucky escape this morning when he fell over the cliff at Durdle Door. At just after 8am this morning Portland Coastguard received a 999 call from Dylan’s distressed owners who could just see him on a steep grassy slope five metres down the cliff. Lulworth Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to rescue Dylan. They managed to bring him to the top of the cliff at just after 9am , where he was happily re-united with his owners. Both Dylan and his owners were uninjured. Jennet Chisholm Coastguard Watch Officer said:                      “T he common incidents we see are where dogs have slipped or bounded over a cliff edge because they haven’t anticipated the drop ahead. Owners will then risk their lives to rescue their dogs and our Coastguard Rescue Teams often get called out to help. “In the UK last year alone there were 227 coastal accidents involving dogs that required emergency assistance from Coastguard’s Rescue Teams and just last month a dog died af

The search for a man missing since yesterday evening re-started this morning at first light. The missing man was last seen at 16:45 yesterday heading for Life Rocks. The alarm was raised at just after 18.15pm when he failed to return. Swansea Coastguard launched an extensive land and sea search from Speke’s Mill to Hartland Point using the Hartland Coastguard Rescue Team, the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat from Clovelly and RAF Rescue Helicopter 169 from Chivenor. Hartland Coastguard Rescue Team also searched the shoreline at low tide ( midnight onwards) but found nothing. Westward Ho Coastguard Rescue Team, Clovelly RNLI Inshore Lifeboat and Appledore RNLI All Weather Lifeboat began searching again this morning. The man they are looking for is in his mid thirties, 5’ 10” tall of a muscular build with short cropped dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing blue shorts and no shoes. Steve Matthews, Coastguard Watch Manager said: “We’ve carried out an extensive search of the cliffs, s

At just after 5.30pm this afternoon Portland Coastguard received a call from dive boat Blue Turtle, which was three nautical miles off Lyme Regis. They reported that a diver had failed to surface after a 20 metre dive. His buddy had made a rapid ascent and was recovered to the dive support vessel before being put on oxygen. The cause of the incident is unclear at this time, however it is known that one diver made a rapid ascent and the other was last sighted below the surface of the sea. The Coastguard Rescue helicopter from Portland was immediately sent to the scene to take the buddy of the missing diver back to the Poole hypobaric chamber for medical treatment. Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat, Lyme Regis and Weymouth RNLI Lifeboats and the Coastguard Rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent were sent to search for the missing diver whilst Poole Coastguard Rescue Team went to secure the helicopter landing site. The Lyme Regis Harbour Launch, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Gold Rover

A trip to Fingal’s Cave on Staffa almost ended in disaster this afternoon when five people found themselves in the water after the dinghy they were using to visit the caves sunk during its journey to the island. Clyde Coastguard received a 999 call from one of the visitors at just before half past three telling them that a dingy had sunk at the entrance to one of the caves on Staffa Island and five people were in the water. At the time of the call it was believed that one person was missing but they were subsequently accounted for. Clyde Coastguard sent both the RNLI All Weather Lifeboat from Tobermory and Royal Navy rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet at Prestwick to the scene and broadcast an alert on Channel 16, which the vessels Island Lass and Iolaire of Iona responded to. The group of five were reunited with the other seven members of their party on the Fingal’s Cave shore before being taken by helicopter to hospital in Oban. The rest of the party was taken by lifebo

Two boys, aged seven and eight, were rescued from an inflatable boat a mile off Pwllheli this afternoon after the mother of one of the boys alerted the Coastguards at just before 4pm . The strong offshore breeze had carried the inflatable a long way out to sea and the other mother swam out to try and rescue the boys. Although she did reach the inflatable she too then had to be rescued. After receiving the 999 call Holyhead Coastguard sent the RNLI Pwllheli Inshore Lifeboat to the scene. They rescued the boys from the inflatable dingy and the woman plucked from the water. They were taken back to shore where they were met by Abersoch Coastguard Rescue Team and assessed by paramedics. Barry Priddis, Coastguard Watch Manager said: “Inflatables are fun but with a strong offshore wind, like we had today at Pwllheli, they can be swept out to sea very quickly. We were lucky today that the three people involved were all returned to shore safe and well and weren’t seriously injured. “I

At 03:24 Humber Coastguard received a call from the standby vessel DUTCH PEARL, reporting that the jack-up rig VAGANT had stuck fast on the sea bed and was being swamped by the rising tide.   19 crew members from the rig were swiftly evacuated to the DUTCH PEARL and MRCC Humber took coordination of the incident. Hartlepool RNLI all-weather lifeboat was launched to the scene and transferred 16 of the crew members to Teesport.   Coastguard Rescue Teams from Hartlepool and Redcar were alerted to assist with reception of the evacuated casualties ashore.   Three rig crew members remain on the standby vessel Dutch Pearl and intend to return to the rig at low tide to attempt to free her from the seabed.   A full assessment of any pollution threat to the environment will be carried out at first light. Watch Manager Drew Mahood said;   “The initial evacuation was handled quickly and efficiently by the rig’s own standby vessel.   Without the swift action taken by the DUTCH PEARL, the rig

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Press Notice No: 93 -11                                                                             13 th April 2011 The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that 4 foreign flagged ships were under detention in UK ports during March 2011 after failing Port State Control ( PSC ) inspection. Latest monthly figures show that there were no new detentions of foreign flagged ships in UK ports during March 2011 but 4 vessels remained under detention from previous months. The overall rate of detentions compared with inspections carried out over the last twelve months was 2.68% this is slightly down from February’s twelve month rate. Out of the detained vessels none were registered with flag states listed on the Paris MOU white list, 1 was registered with a flag state on the grey list none were registered with flag states on the black list and 3 were unregistered. 1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson's Inquiry into the prevention of polluti