2009
July
New
MCA News Podcasts now available
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Coastguards Warn Over the Dangers of Inflatables
The Coastguard is reminding the public that inflatable dinghies and toys can be very dangerous on the coast especially when there is an off shore wind. read more..
30 July, 2009
Msc Napoli Salvage Operation is Finished
Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of States Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) officially declared an end to the salvage and wreck removal operations of the MSC Napoli on Thursday 29th July 2009, 924 days after it all began. read more..
Monday evening two lucky men and their rib are being towed to Kirkwall, after their rib broke down on their fishing expedition. read more..
Seven Youths Winched to Safety
A group of teenagers were winched to safety late this afternoon after getting cut off by the tide at Langdon Battery, Dover. read more..
Two Fatalities in String of Incidents for Humber Coastguard
Humber Coastguard had a particularly busy weekend this weekend including two searches that tragically ended in fatalities on Saturday. read more..
Three People Swept Out to Sea Off Bacton
At 3:30 pm this afternoon (Sunday) Yarmouth MRCC received three 999 calls reporting a small inflatable toy dinghy being swept out to sea off Bacton. Members of the public on scene informed the Coastguard that two people from the inflatable were trying to swim back to the shore, with one more clinging to the dinghy. It was not clear at that time whether there were more people involved in the incident. read more..
Chinese Lanterns Spark Search in Tyne
At 2230 last night (Saturday) Humber Coastguard dealt with multiple reports of red and white flares being sighted at Bamburgh Castle near Berwick upon Tweed. Reports also came in of sightings from Tynemouth, Sunderland and Cleethorpes. read more..
Man Pinned By Rocks At Fair Head
At half past 2 this afternoon (Saturday) Belfast Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public who could hear cries for help at the bottom of the cliffs at Fair Head in Northern Ireland. read more..
Injured Tombstoner Rescued in South Gower
At 10 oclock this morning Swansea Coastguard received a 999 call from a man reporting that his friend had jumped from cliffs in Southgate in South Gower and had dislocated his shoulder. read more..
Man Falls Down Cliffs At Newquay
Falmouth Coastguard were called by Ambulance Control at 5.15 this morning to request their assistance for a 33 year old man who had fallen down 80 ft cliffs. The Newquay Coastguard Rescue Team were called to the scene and met with Ambulance Control. The man had internal bleeding and a broken leg, but was conscious. read more..
Seven Foreign Ships Detained in the Uk During June
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that seven foreign flagged ships have been detained in UK ports during June 2009 after failing Port State Control (PSC) inspection. read more..
Lifejackets Save Lives Advises Yarmouth Coastguard
Earlier this evening Yarmouth Coastguard responded to two instances of fishing vessels requiring assistance off the north Norfolk coast. read more..
Major Search Underway for Missing Crew After Fishing Vessel Capsizes
Stornoway Coastguard are presently engaged inthe co-ordination of the search and rescue of three missing fishermen from afishing vessel, in the vicinity of Bo Fascadale, approx 1.5m north of Kilmorie,Ardnamurchan. read more..
Search for Overdue Fisherman Finds Him on Remote Island
At twenty four minutes past ten yesterday evening, Stornoway Coastguard received a 999 call from a concerned friend of a man who had put to sea to check his lobster pots. read more..
Holiday Makers Rescued From Car
A sixty-year-old couple were airlifted to safety this afternoon after they were cut off by the tide whilst trying to cross the Holy Island Causeway. read more..
Hoax Call Sparks Air and Sea Search
At 11.30 pm yesterday a mayday call was received from the Donald Sara Lee on VHF Channel 16. The vessel reported that it had hit rocks and was taking on water with three people on board. They gave their position as Trow Rock near South Shields Pier. The caller reported that the crew had lifejackets on, then communications were lost. read more..
20 July, 2009
Ro-ro Vessel Detained Due to Deficiencies Aboard
The Panamanian registered Ro-Ro cargo vessel Jigawa II was issued with a Detention Notice due to failure to comply with merchant shipping legislation in Sheerness. read more..
Man and Child Evacuated to Hospital By Helicopter
At seven oclock this evening, Falmouth coastguard received a 999 call from a lady reporting that people were entering the water to recover a man and a child. read more..
Coastguard Appeal to Boat Owners to Prepare for Their Trip
Swansea Coastguard were alerted to a small boat that was believed to be broken down by Burry Port Coastguard rescue team who had spotted the boat whilst out on patrol in their local area. read more..
Two Sports Divers Taken to Hospital in Separate Incidents
At half past eleven this morning, Shetland Coastguard received a call from the dive boat, Valkyrie reporting that a diver aged in his mid sixties had made a rapid ascent and was suffering headache. He was placed on oxygen and the Lerwick lifeboat who were on exercise were requested to go and recover the man from the dive vessel and take him back to Lerwick for transportation to hospital. read more..
Drifting Boat Located Seven Miles Out to Sea
At twenty minutes past eight this morning, Humber Coastguard received a call from their colleagues at Swansea Coastguard after a call was received via the Maritime and Coastguard Agency information helpline which is received at Swansea Coastguard reporting a vessel with engine failure somewhere off the pier at South Shields. read more..
Teenagers Rescued From Cliffs By Coastguard Helicopter
At half past nine this evening, Dover Coastguard received a 999 call from a teenager reporting four or five teenagers trapped on rocks at Rockanore,Hastings. read more..
Search Ongoing for Missing Oil Rig Worker
A large scale search is underway for a missing person from the Brent Delta, Oil Platform, 117 miles northeast of Shetland. read more..
Coastguard Radio Ad Warns About Tombstoning
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has launched a new radio safety advert warning young people about the dangers of tombstoning. read more..
A 15 year old German boy visiting the UK has been taken to hospital this afternoon, after falling up to 150 feet at Scalby Ness. read more..
Distress Call Alerts Yarmouth Coastguard
At 10:28 this morning Yarmouth Coastguard intercepted one half of a distress call between the yacht `Sunshine to the tanker `Nordby Maersk. read more..
14 July, 2009
Collapse of Crane At Southampton Docks
At 05.40 am this morning Solent Coastguard were alerted to a crane which had collapsed on a container ship the NYK THEMIS at Southampton docks read more..
Holyhead Coastguard are reminding visitors to the coast, especially groups responsible for youths of the dangers that they can find themselves in. read more..
A search is currently underway for a man who was believed to have jumped into the water at Llewellyn Quay, Port Talbot this afternoon and has not yet resurfaced. read more..
At approximately 7:50 this morning Yarmouth Coastguard received a MAYDAY call from a 22f ft sailing vessel Tomahawk with 2 people on board approx 30 miles off the coast off Cromer on the East Coast. The sailing yacht had been taking part in the North Sea Race when it experienced difficulties in the rough weather, loosing its rudder and power. read more..
Missing Person Found Safe and Well
A major search has been carried out involving many resources in poor weather conditions in the Mablethorpe area in the late hours of Saturday night. read more..
Twelve Rescued From Water After Dive Boat Sinks
Twelve divers were rescued today, after their boat Aquanaut sank just west off Salcombe. The divers let off a flare, which alerted the crew of a passing yacht Dutch Angel, the crew then radioed the Coastguard for help; they then proceeded to the scene to secure the life raft and help the casualties out of the water. read more..
A 68 year old local sailor was thrown from his yacht in heavy swells this afternoon whilst sailing in the Firth of Forth. read more..
Schoolchildren Taken to Hospital From Prestatyn Beach
At ten minutes past twelve this afternoon Holyhead Coastguard received a call from Rhyl Beachguards reporting that they were entering the water to assist a child in difficulty. read more..
Coastguards Expect a Busy Summer At the Beach
Coastguards are promoting their Sea Smart summer safety campaign as millions of us head to the coast this summer. With many families opting to holiday at home this year, tourism is booming and Coastguards are predicting a record number of people will call for help at the coast as the weather warms up. read more..
Search Ongoing for Missing Swimmer
At quarter to five this afternoon Falmouth Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public on the beach at Godrevy near St. Ives, reporting that a young male had been swimming with two friends and had got into difficulty. read more..
Coastguard Helicopter Rescues Two From Sinking Yacht
Earlier this morning a fishing vessel, the Budding Rose, a fishing vessel heard an urgency pan pan call on VHF from a two person Norwegian crew on board the yacht `Serenity some 8 miles from their position and about 80 miles due east of the Shetland Islands. read more..
Quad Bike Rider Dies After Cliff Fall
At eleven o clock this evening Stornoway Coastguard received a 999 call from a man reporting that his friend had gone over the cliffs on his quad bike near Tolsta on the Isle of Lewis. read more..
Yarmouth Coastguard Respond to Three Yachts in Need of Rescue
Yarmouth Coastguard responded to three yachts in need of rescue this afternoon, with Lowestoft All Weather Lifeboat attending to all three. read more..
Four Casualties Pulled From the Solent
Four people were rescued from the Solent this afternoon as Solent Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue of two swimmers in Littlehampton and two people from a holed yacht near Southsea. read more..
Scallop Diver Found Safe and Well
A scallop diver who went missing in the Lulworth Cove area has just been found by the range safety craft Smit Frome in a search coordinated by Portland Coastguard. read more..
Cliff Climber Airlifted to Hospital
A 19 year old cliff climber was airlifted from the base of cliffs this evening to hospital. He had been out climbing on cliffs at Auchenlaire in south west Scotland with his 16 year old nephew when he slipped and fell. His nephew called 999 at just before 8.00 pm and requested help from Liverpool Coastguard. Both of the boys had been staying at a nearby caravan site and the 16 year old had difficulty describing exactly where they were. read more..
Take Care: Strong Tides and Currents Say Forth Coastguard
Coastguards are warning people to be careful of fast tides and currents after three men were rescued at St Andrews West Sands on the estuary of the River Eden. read more..
Before You Launch Your Chinese Lanterns At the Coast Please Tell the Coastguard
Coastguards are asking people to call them if they are launching Chinese lanterns along the coast at dusk following a spate of false alarms that has led to teams being sent out unnecessarily. read more..
Six Duke of Edinburgh Award Students Rescued
Six female students who were out on a walk as part of a Duke of Edinburgh award expedition are in the process of being airlifted from boulder fields at Fair Head near Ballycastle after being reported overdue. read more..
Childs Hoax Mayday Launches Air and Sea Search
Shetland Coastguard is asking parents to closely supervise their children near marine radios after a suspected hoax call launched an intensive air and sea search. read more..
Scallop Dredger Grounded Off Ross of Mull
A ten-metre scallop dredger Freedom is aground off Loch Scridain (Ross of Mull). Clyde Coastguard were informed at 9.00 pm last night that the vessel was aground and taking water through vents, although it did not seem to be holed. The first person on scene, was a Coastguard from Ross of Mull Coastguard Rescue Team. He investigated the grounding and reported back to the operations room. read more..
Red Flare Summons Assistance for Speedboat on Fire
Six people were rescued from the water this afternoon in Studland Bay after they jumped overboard from the speedboat FEELING WOOSLEY 2 which had reported a fire on board. read more..
Yarmouth Coastguard Co-ordinate Medical Evacuation
Yarmouth Coastguard has coordinated the evacuation of a 57 year old male passenger from the Ventura, a large cruise liner from the middle of the North Sea after he was taken seriously ill. read more..
The Hull of the Msc Napoli Breaks the Surface
The operation to lift the remaining section of the MSC Napoli was successfully completed yesterday afternoon. Cutting has now commenced and will now continue in accordance with the agreed salvage plan. read more..
Man Airlifted After Falling on Rocks At Ardwell Bay
Around 11.15 this morning Clyde Coastguard were alerted to a 59 year old man from Glasgow who had fallen on rocks at Ardwell Bay near Stranraer. read more..
European Seafarer Fatigue Research Launched
A major multi-partner European research project aiming to tackle the problems posed by seafarer fatigue has been launched with a two-day inaugural meeting at Warsash, in the UK. read more..