HM Coastguard

Swansea Coastguard have praised a quick-thinking eight-year-old girl who scrambled across rocks and negotiated a busy road to get help for her injured mother. The 45-year-old woman and four children had been out for a walk in Lime Slade Bay when she had slipped and fractured her right ankle. The girl left three other children with the woman and ran to a nearby ice cream parlour to call for help. The air ambulance was called and Swansea Coastguard were asked to assist by requesting the help of the Mumbles Coastguard Rescue Team. The coastguards cleared a landing area for the helicopter and administered first aid to the woman whilst awaiting the arrival of the air ambulance. A land ambulance was also called. Once the paramedics were on scene, the coastguards and paramedics were able to carry the woman to the land ambulance for onward transmission to hospital. David Jones, Swansea Coastguard Watch Manager says: “The little girl acted very bravely to help her mother and we’d like to praise

Liverpool Coastguard coordinated three separate incidents in the early hours of this morning involving cocklers in the Ribble estuary. At 4.20 am Liverpool Coastguard were called to report that a boat had capsized and that three people were in the water. It later transpired that the vessel had hit a buoy causing it to overturn; one of the three crew had been trapped in the cabin but had managed to escape with his lifejacket on. The Coastguard had requested the Lytham St Annes RNLI inshore lifeboat to launch. However, the three crew were rescued by a Welsh fishing vessel which was nearby and took them to shore. At 6.30 am the Coastguard received a call reporting that up to 15 people were in difficulty on the cockle beds. The call was made by the one of the group who had already made shore. The Lytham St Annes Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to begin shoreline searches and the Lytham St Annes RNLI inshore lifeboat was requested to launch again. About seven people are known to have made i

Four people were rescued from the water this afternoon after a member of the public dialled 999 to report to Brixham Coastguard that a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) had capsized at the mouth of the River Exe. The call came in at 4.30 pm from a person on Exmouth seafront who could see what he thought was an overturned motorboat.   Brixham Coastguard sent the Teignmouth Coastguard Rescue Team to the scene, along with the coastguard rescue helicopter from Portland, and requested the launch of the Exmouth RNLI Inshore lifeboat.   The coastguard rescue team’s role was to observe the lifeboat from the shoreline due to the poor weather conditions on scene.   At 4.46 pm the lifeboat had recovered all four people into the lifeboat and brought them ashore, where they were checked over by paramedics and deemed to not require medical attention.   Only one of the group of four young men was wearing a lifejacket. Brixham Coastguard Watch Officer Paul Myers said: “We would advise members of the pub

Solent Coastguards are coordinating a search at the entrance of Portsmouth Harbour as a result of a 999 call from a member of the public, reporting a person in the water calling for help. Katherine Piggin, Watch Manager, Solent Coastguard, says: “We are currently conducting a thorough search down both sides of the harbour entrance. Coastguard Rescue Officers from Portsmouth and Hillhead are on scene. The Portsmouth RNLI Lifeboat and the Gosport and Fareham Independent Lifeboats have been requested to launch. The Coastguard rescue helicopter has been scrambled also on scene are the Police launch and the Queen’s Harbour Master launch.   Numerous vessels are assisting by keeping a look out. Notes to Editors: Stay safe - before heading out on the water get trained, check weather and tides, wear a lifejacket, avoid alcohol and keep in touch                                                                                                                       Follow us on Twitter.

Six people have been rescued from a capsized dive boat at the entrance to the River Bann this afternoon. Belfast Coastguard received a ‘999’ call from a member of the public at 3:48 pm informing them that they had witnessed a small boat capsize and there were people in the water.   Coastguard Rescue Officers from Coleraine were sent to the scene. The Portrush inshore and all weather RNLI lifeboats were requested to launch and the Irish Coastguard rescue helicopter from Sligo was scrambled. Steve Carson, Watch Manager, Belfast Coastguard, says: “The inshore lifeboat was first on scene and discovered one person in the water and a further five people on the upturned hull of a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB). The conditions on scene were challenging with a large sea swell. All six people have now been transferred to the all weather lifeboat and taken to Portrush Harbour and do not require further medical assistance. The RHIB is being towed to harbour by the lifeboat. We would lik

Swansea Coastguard responded to three separate incidents involving recreational boats off Weston-Supermare within approximately an hour of one another this morning. All three incidents involved the vessels breaking down and in need of assistance. Coastguard Rescue Officers from Weston-Supermare were sent to the scene and the two Weston-Supermare inshore RNLI lifeboats were requested to launch. A local yacht gave assistance by towing one of the vessels into port. Dave Jones, Watch Manager, Swansea Coastguard, says: “These incidents were brought to a successful conclusion but illustrate the need to put to sea well prepared, with all the necessary equipment on board a well maintained vessel.” Always wear a lifejacket Get trained - knowledge of your activity is essential Carry some means of calling for help Check your engine and fuel Check the weather and tide conditions before heading out Tell others where you are going   Notes to Editors: Stay safe - before heading o

At twenty past three this afternoon, Dover Coastguard received notification that an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) had been activated and the position indicated from the Beacon placed the vessel off the coast near Hythe. A subsequent 999 call was also received from a man indicating that his motor cruiser had hit a submerged object and he and his son had taken to their liferaft. Dover Coastguard requested the Dover Police boat D99 attend and also requested the launch of the Dover RNLI lifeboat. The Canadian Naval vessel Quest which was alerted to the distress by Dover Coastguard proceeded as well as the Hythe Range boats Smit Romney and Smit Rother. The police boat D99 arrived as the same time as the rescue craft from the Canadian ship. The rescue craft recovered the man and his son to the boat before transferring them to the police boat, which subsequently transferred them to the lifeboat. The man and his son had departed Dover and had taken to their liferaf

Two canoeists have been found after a three hour search of the Firth of Forth last night. Forth Coastguard was alerted by Lothian and Borders Police at just after 10.30pm last night. The caller explained that they had made it ashore but two canoeists and two swimmers were in difficulty near Gipsy Bay, Granton. Coastguard Rescue Teams from Kinghorn, Queensferry and Anstruther began a shoreline search whilst the RNLI lifeboats from Queensferry and Fisherow searched the sea with the RAF Rescue Helicopter from Boulmer. Lothian and Borders Police, Fire Brigade and Scottish Ambulance also attended the scene. The swimmers made it ashore and one of the Coastguard Rescue Teams found a canoeist at just before 11pm. The RAF rescue helicopter from Boulmer found the second canoeist at just after 1am. He was flown to hospital in Edinburgh. Forth Watch Officer Simon Ward said: “We’re not sure how this group got in to difficulty tonight but it is a timely reminder that as well as wearing the b

A man who went missing off the island of Luing, Argyll was found safe and well after a four and a half hour search. Clyde Coastguard was called at just after half past eight last night with a report of a lone boater who was four hours over due. He had last been seen at Toberonochy Pier at 3.30pm yesterday afternoon and was believed to be heading for his moorings on the other side of the island at Cuan Sound. Oban Coastguard Rescue Team carried out a shoreline search whilst both the RNLI lifeboats from Oban and the Coastguard Rescue helicopter from Stornoway searched the nearby lochs and sea. He was found at just before 1am this morning at Loch Melfort by one of the RNLI lifeboats from Oban. It’s believed that he ran out of fuel but managed to row ashore and had been waiting six hours for someone to find him. Tarik Yassin, Clyde Coastguard Watch Manager said: “I’m delighted that his gentleman has been found safe and well, if a little cold. His lengthy wait for help makes it obvio

Two fishermen were rescued from the water this afternoon after drifting for an hour in the water before their cries for help were heard. Liverpool Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public at just after 1.30pm. The caller had heard calls for help from the water and spotted two people in difficulty off Silloth, Cumbria. Coastguard Rescue Teams from Maryport and Burgh by Sand were sent to the scene with the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat from Silloth and Maryport Inshore Rescue Boat. The fishermen were rescued from the water by the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat and taken to hospital in Carlisle by ambulance. It then transpired that they had been fishing for shrimps at Cardurnock Flats, four miles from where they were found. It appears that their net got caught and their ten-metre fishing vessel ‘Boy Bailey’ turned over in the water. The vessel then sank and the men spent an hour drifting in the water, supported by a life rings. Tony Topping Liverpool Coastguard Watch Manager said: “