2008
October
New
MCA News Podcasts now available
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Nine Rescued From the Sea Off South Devon
During a hectic 40 minute period this afternoon, Brixham Coastguard has coordinated the rescue of 9 people. In three separate incidents, each of which involved three people, the casualties were recovered having all been involved in boating accidents. read more..
30 October, 2008
Unidentified Sailing Objects Invade the Isle of Skye
At 6:40pm on Wednesday evening Stornoway Coastguard received call from the Police at Portree on the Isle of Skye reporting that one of their off-duty officers had sighted red and bright white flashing lights 200 yards off the beach at Staffin Bay in the North of the island. read more..
Coastguard Assist Police in Flooding At Ottery St Mary
Due to heavy rainfall and freezing hail in East Devon certain areas have experienced serious flooding and the Coastguard have responded to a request for assistance from the Police. read more..
At twenty five minutes to five this evening, Dover MRCC were informed by Kent Ambulance that they had a crew attending an incident involving a 41 year old male in Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate. Deal and Margate Coastguard teams were tasked to attend the incident and the RAF rescue helicopter from Wattisham was airborne on a training exercise was also requested to attend, as the man and his 12 year old son were half a mile off shore trapped in mud. read more..
World Leading Maritime Administration
The United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency is a World leading maritime administration and the originator of the Large Commercial Yacht Code. read more..
28 October, 2008
Coastguard Helicopter Assists Lifeboat Crew in Rescue of a Mother and Two Children
On one of the coldest afternoons this year Pooles Inshore lifeboat and volunteer crew launched to a report of a woman and two children stranded on mud flats in an inflatable kayak canoe. read more..
Ship Owner Pleads Guilty to Merchant Shipping Act Offences
At a hearing yesterday in Folkestone Magistrates Court, the owner of a coaster pleaded guilty to three Merchant Shipping safety offences following a collision with the East Goodwin Light Vessel on 27th February 2007. read more..
28 October, 2008
Dutch Fisherman Fined for Collision
At a hearing yesterday in Folkestone Magistrates Court, the skipper of a fishing vessel pleaded guilty to one offence following a collision with a coaster on 21st March 2007. read more..
Use a Flare in Distress; Not on November 5th!
With Halloween, and November 5th celebrations rapidly approaching, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is reminding all members of the public that marine pyrotechnics (flares) should not be fired at either public or private firework parties, or any other occasion as a source of entertainment. read more..
Falmouth Coastguard Assist Netherlands Coastguard
At 9.50 pm on Sunday evening Falmouth Coastguard (which is the UKs international maritime rescue coordination centre) received a request from MRCC Den Helder (Netherlands Coastguard) to assist with an incident 340 nautical miles West of the Cape Verde Islands. read more..
The crew of the missing yacht Calyx of Lolworth have been located and are safe and well. One of the crew was able to call Humber Coastguard this morning at 6.30 am on vhf radio. The vessel had drifted out of vhf radio range due to the adverse weather conditions, but is now east of Whitby. The crew had been able to hear the Coastguard calling them but had been unable to respond. read more..
A search is ongoing for a yacht which is missing off the east coast. read more..
Vessels Struggle in Violent Storms
Merchant vessels have been struggling against violent storm force weather this afternoon off Shetland. read more..
Humber Coastguard Coordinate Search for Father and Daughter
Humber Coastguard has this afternoon coordinated the search for a 47 year old man and his 9 year old daughter, who had been reported missing after setting off from Runswick Bay at 11am this morning. read more..
Three Persons Rescued From Grounded Yacht
Three people have been transferred to hospital this evening with two suffering from shock after their yacht ran aground and was holed on the rocks at Horse Island off the coast of Ardrossan, on the North Ayrshire coast. read more..
Coastguard Emergency Towing Vessel Takes Russian Timber Carrier Under Tow
Early this morning the Captain of the Russian general cargo vessel Mekahnik Semakov reported problems to Stornoway Coastguard that he had difficulties with their engines and in particular their fuel oil. At the time a sister ship the Mekhanik Kraskovksi was standing by. read more..
Man Rescued Twice in Two Days Off Burnham
A search is currently underway for a trimaran that is reported to have run aground off the coast of Burnham-on-Sea two days after it was rescued for being lost in the same area on Sunday. read more..
Chief Coastguard Honours Shetland Rescuers
Rod Johnson, the Chief Coastguard, is to honour various Coastguard team members involved in a major search and rescue mission to save a man who was lost on remote high ground in Shetland during a winter storm. read more..
A diver was airlifted to hospital this morning after surfacing from a dive unconscious off Portland Bill. Sadly the diver was declared deceased by the hospital later in the day. read more..
19 October, 2008
Small Boat Rescued in Portland Race
Three young men in a small speed boat had a lucky escape on Saturday after their engine broke down and they were rescued from the Portland Race, a notoriously dangerous area of rough water off Portland Bill in Dorset. read more..
Crew Airlifted From North Sea Jack Up Rig
Humber Coastguard coordinated the down manning of non essential personnel from a jack up rig in the North Sea following a fire on board. RAF Rescue Helicopters transferred 34 of a total of 79 crew members from the rig to the nearby standby vessel overnight. read more..
Search for Light Aircraft in Robin Hoods Bay
Humber Coastguard is coordinating an air and sea search after members of the public reported seeing a light aircraft crash into the sea in Robin Hoods Bay, North Yorkshire. read more..
Commercial Fisherman Prosecuted Following Collision
At a hearing today in Truro Magistrates Court, the owner/skipper of a small fishing vessel was successfully prosecuted following a collision off Falmouth on the morning of the 3rd October 2007. read more..
Four men were thrown into the water when their speed boat capsized this afternoon in the Firth of Forth. read more..
Coastguard Appeal for Information After Hoax Call
At two minutes to ten in the evening on Saturday 11th October, Clyde Coastguard received a mayday call on VHF channel 16 from a man reporting that he was on a vessel named Rover, with three others on board, saying they were in a position 1 mile off Dumbarton Rock and taking water. read more..
Belfast Coastguard Co-ordinate Search After Two People Are Reported Missing on a Jet Ski
In good weather Belfast Coastguard have been coordinating a search a rescue this evening for two missing people after a member of the public became concerned for their safety at around 6.45pm this evening. read more..
Drinking and Drowning: Two Near Misses At Poole
Portland Coastguard were involved in two separate recovery incidents last night where drinking alcohol could have ended in fatality statistics. read more..
Three Divers Suffer the Bends in Separate Incidents
Three divers were picked up this afternoon by the Lee-on-Solent based Coastguard helicopter in two separate incidents, when the divers began complaining of signs associated with decompression sickness. read more..
Coastguard Tug Tows Tanker Out of Dover Strait
At half past eight this morning, the chemical Tanker Ruth Theresa called Dover Coastguard reporting that they were broken down and drifting but effecting repairs. read more..
Fishermen and Vessel Located By Gmdss
At twenty minutes to three this morning, Milford Haven Coastguard were alerted by Falmouth Coastguard of an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). read more..
Broken Down Ship Towed Out of the Dover Strait By Coastguard Tug
At quarter past five this morning, the Car Carrier Victoria VI called Dover Coastguard reporting that they were broken down and anchored with a broken crankshaft bearing. read more..
09 October, 2008
Maritime Staff Compete Under Sail
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) joined the Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO) Small Ships Race this year for the first time on 4th October, 2008. The Agencys team, sailed in Challenger 2 William PG. read more..
French Students Hospitalised Following Afternoon Swim
A French student is in a critical condition and her two female friends are suffering with shock and hypothermia after they were overwhelmed by sea conditions during an afternoon swim. read more..
Two Rescued From Fire on Ex Mine Sweeping Boat
Two men were rescued from their boat this evening after it caught fire whilst on the River Crouch, north of Southend. read more..
Falmouth Coastguard Coordinate Assistance to Sinking Yacht
At half past two this afternoon a 999 call was received from the wife of the skipper of a 54 foot yacht called Taloa from St Marys on the Isles of Scilly. read more..
Dog and Owners Rescued From Mud
At quarter past ten this morning, Solent Coastguard received a 999 call from a lady reporting that she was stuck with her husband and dog in the mud at Pagham Harbour. read more..
Man Jailed for Assault on Coastguard Helicopter Winchman
This morning at Stornoway Sheriff Court, Aaron Moore 27 of Portnaguran, Isle of Lewis was jailed for six months for assaulting a winch man from the Stornoway Coastguard helicopter. read more..