During 2020 all NCI stations closed for two months at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. On re-opening most stations were single-crewed for the rest of the year.
| Incident No. | Date of Incident | Station Name | Incident Summary | Initiated by | Lifeboat involved | MCA | MCA No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48024 | 04/11/2023 | NCI Charmouth | NCI observed MOP cut off by tide. HMCG informed, monitoring requested. CRT and ILB tasked, and contact made with casualty, who turned out to be a fossil hunter who was safe and well. NFA. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 540768 |
| 48048 | 04/11/2023 | NCI Prawle Point | NCI observed chemical tanker behaving suspiciously, frequently reversing for several hours. HMCG informed, and CG investigated. | NCI | No | Yes | n/a |
| 48020 | 03/11/2023 | NCI Lyme Bay | MOP handed in to NCI live bullets (apparently live). Items put in water, and informed HMCG. 2 more bullets found and Police arranged collection. | NCI | No | Yes | 540703 |
| 47974 | 30/10/2023 | NCI Porthcawl | HMCG called NCI re. report from MOP of swimmer in difficulty. Search commenced, ILB tasked. Nothing seen, apart from boat club buoy. All assets stood down | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 540261 |
| 47963 | 30/10/2023 | NCI Brancaster | NCI observed 2 MOP + dog walking out with incoming tide. HMCG I informed. Casualties tried wading, dog swimming. CRT tasked, and casualties reached beach through waist deep water. All well. | NCI | No | Yes | 540259 |
| 47964 | 30/10/2023 | NCI St Agnes Head | MOP informed NCI an elderly gent had fallen on coast path. Ambulance en route but no ETA. W/K opened barrier, and other W/K used their vehicle to bring casualty to the lookout. Ambulance asked family , to transport casualty to hospital, so W/K took a family member to their car. CRT tasked, and advised it was safe to drive casualty to hospital. NFA. | Ambulance | No | Yes | 540240 |
| 47937 | 29/10/2023 | NCI Hengistbury Head | HMCG tasked ILB to person cut off by tide. NCI informed CG they had visual, and asked to monitor. ILB unable to access due to sea conditions, so CRT tasked. Casualty was fossil hunter and was not , in difficulty. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 540096 |
| 47928 | 28/10/2023 | NCI Point Lynas | HMCG contacted NCI re. kayakers in trouble. Visual requested, but no kayaks seen. After continued observation, kayakers seen, and not in difficulty. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 539936 |
| 47920 | 27/10/2023 | NCI Porthcawl | NCI observed a MOP stuck in mud trying to cross slipway. HMCG informed, ILB and CRT tasked, and casualty extracted from mud by LB crew. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 539834 |
| 47922 | 27/10/2023 | NCI Hengistbury Head | Local ferry reported to HMCg a capsized unmanned dinghy. NCI had visual, asked to look for possible casualty. ILB tasked, and towed dinghy to sailing club. Vessel had blown away while rigged. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539835 |
| 47897 | 26/10/2023 | NCI Prawle Point | MOP reported to NCI an unmanned RIB tied to rocks on beach. No Outboard. HMCG informed. | NCI | No | Yes | n/a |
| 47912 | 26/10/2023 | NCI Lyme Bay | MOP reported a decomposing porpoise to NCI. HMCG informed, with details of location. NFA | NCI | No | Yes | 539729 |
| 47917 | 26/10/2023 | NCI Porthcawl | HMCG tasked ILB and CRT re. report of person in water. NCI offered to search. Object suspected to be a log, confirmed by NCI. Assets stood down | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539751 |
| 47933 | 26/10/2023 | NCI Stepper Point | NCI heard radio comms between HMCG and LGs re. report of surfer in trouble. NCI established visual of casualty with LGs in their ILB. Surfer was fine, and advice was given. Surfer returned to beach. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539725 |
| 47893 | 25/10/2023 | NCI Gosport | HMCG called NCI re. motor boat with engine failure and was taking on water. It was anchored and NCI established visual. ILB tasked, and towed casualty to harbour and the safety of a marina. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539536 |
| 47889 | 24/10/2023 | NCI Worms Head | NCI observed MOP cut off by causeway flooding. HMCG informed. W/K deployed horn and megaphone. CRT, ILB and AWLB tasked, casualty recovered by LB. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 539454 |
| 47887 | 23/10/2023 | NCI Newhaven | HMCG called NCI re. report of people in water. Nothing visible, CG informed, and told of 2 vessels in area. AWLB tasked, searched area and talked to vessels - nothing seen, NFA | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539385 |
| 47879 | 23/10/2023 | NCI Hengistbury Head | HMCG asked NCI for visual on vessel possibly in distress in harbour entrance. Vessel identified, and CG informed it had made it to quay safely | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 539354 |
| 47921 | 22/10/2023 | NCI Fleetwood | HMCG asked NCI for visual on MOP reported to be agitated and walking into difficulty. CG asked local FB to look, and casualty was reported to be walking back to shore. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 539193 |
| 47874 | 22/10/2023 | NCI Swanage | MOP brought a lifebuoy with a broken EPIRB attached to NCI. HMCG informed, who contacted Royal Navy, from whose ship it had come from. | NCI | No | Yes | 539187 |
| 47885 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Felixstowe | HMCG called NCI re. report from MOP of a windsurfer in difficulty. CRT tasked, and saw nothing, neither did NCI. Widsurfer then spotted by NCI, CRT informed and ILB tasked. casualty came ashore, safe and well, and was met by CRT. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539087 |
| 47856 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Torbay | NCI heard message to ILB re. swimmer missing. Search of area by NCI spotted swimmer, CG informed, and tasked ILB, which recovered casualty to beach | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 439089 |
| 47859 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Hengistbury Head | HMCG called NCI re. report from MOP of paraglider falling into sea. Visual check requested. Nothing seen. CG called back to say it was a model aircraft, not a paraglider. NFA | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 539070 |
| 47864 | 21/10/2023 | NCI St Ives | NCI observed a dinghy washed up on beach. No one present. HMCG informed, who contacted Harbour master. Vessel was tender to a trip boat which had broken free of mooring in storm., Recovery arranged. | NCI | No | Yes | 539045 |
| 47866 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Shoreham | NCI observed AWLB and HELO searching. HMCG informed them they were looking for a missing person and asked for a search. MISPER later found, all stood dow. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539031 |
| 47867 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Shoreham | HMCG called NCI rte. report from MOP of kite surfer in trouble. Visual established, and all kites in area seemed under control. NFA | Fire | No | Yes | 539051 |
| 47868 | 21/10/2023 | NCI Southend | HMCG called NCI re. report of a lone swimmer lost from view by MOP. NCI had visual, and monitored casualty as they came ashore. Hovercraft had been tasked but stood down. NCI advised CG all safe. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 539076 |
| 47883 | 20/10/2023 | NCI Penzance | MOP reported to NCI concern for lone paddle boarder. MOP advised to contact HMCG. MOP returned to location but no-one with information was present so called NCI again. , NCI called CG, then MOP called to say there were now several paddle boarders present and no apparent problem. CG advised. | NCI | No | Yes | 538937 |
| 47855 | 20/10/2023 | NCI Rame Head | HMCG issued MayDay relay re. female stuck up cliff. NCI asked for visual. AWLB, ILB and CRT tasked. ILB unable to assist due to swell, HELO tasked. Casualty in mobile phone contact with CG., NCI established visual, CG informed. Casualty extracted by CRT, all other assets stood down. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 538969 |
| 47860 | 20/10/2023 | NCI Calshot Tower | MayDay relay from HMCG re. capsized pleasure craft, assistance requested. NCI told CG they had visual, and 2 vessels were assisting. local patrons; boat recovered vessel, ILB met casualties which, were transferred to ambulance. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 538983 |
| 47843 | 19/10/2023 | NCI Newhaven | MOP informed NCI there was unattended swimming gear on beach. HMCG informed, already aware. CRT tasked, and kite surfer confirmed they were his. NFA. | NCI | No | Yes | 538806 |
| 47844 | 19/10/2023 | NCI Torbay | HMCG called NCI re. report from MOP of unmanned jetski floating off headland. NCI informed CG a cabin cruiser was approaching object. AWLB tasked and recovered jetski. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 538848 |
| 47839 | 18/10/2023 | NCI Canvey Island | NCI observed a large roll of barbed wire, covered in seaweed floating towards beach. HMCH informed, as hazard to vessels. CRT tasked, and recovered object with extended arm digger. | NCI | No | Yes | 538722 |
| 46842 | 18/10/2023 | NCI Exmouth | HMCG contacted NCI re. kite surfer possibly in difficulty. NCI monitored casualty until they self recovered. NFA | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 578737 |
| 47838 | 16/10/2023 | NCI Porthcawl | NCI observed a large chemical drum washed up on beach. HMCG informed - potential chemical hazard. CRT tasked, and confirmed drum was sealed so removal arranged with local authority. | NCI | No | Yes | 538439 |
| 47845 | 16/10/2023 | NCI Southend | NCI observed a sailing dinghy proceeding into danger. Casualty changed course but still collided with protective boom. HMCG informed. Casualty lowered sail, freed itself from boom, but ran aground, Occupant entered water and pushed dinghy, hovercraft tasked, and monitored dinghy into river. Later it was learned it was a solo sailer, trying to sail to France, with limited provision, or experience | NCI | Yes | Yes | 538486 |
| 47826 | 16/10/2023 | NCI Lee-on-the-Solent | May Day received by HMCG from yacht reported to be in Solent. NCI conducted visual search - nothing seen. Pan Pan issued but nothing reported. Assumed to be another hoax May Day. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 538487 |
| 47810 | 15/10/2023 | NCI Hengistbury Head | 2 RIBs ( one with 6 POB, one with 3 POB) were observed tied together, aground in channel. No lifejackets. No immediate danger, one RIB tried to tow other off, people in water. HMCG received 999 call , from MOP. NCI confirmed to CG they had visual. Not enough water for ILB, so decided to wait for tide. Both vessels refloated and progressed up channel, CG advised. Met by ILB crew and advised. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 538368 |
| 47811 | 15/10/2023 | NCI St Alban's Head | NCI observed motor launch, 2 POB, land ashore. Persons walked along shore picking up objects and depositing plastic bags. Parcels loaded into container, which was transferred to vessel. HMCG informed., Vessel cast off, and headed along shore. CG informed. Vessel then landed again, picked up objects plus a discarded dinghy. Vessel cast off towing dinghy. CG informed. NFA | NCI | No | Yes | n/a |
| 47816 | 15/10/2023 | NCI Charmouth | MOP reported to NCI a walker had fainted - possible heart attack. HMCG informed, CRT and ambulance called. W/K kept relatives informed. Ambulance crew attended casualty. | NCI | No | Yes | 538324 |
Currently almost 60 NCI stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteer watchkeepers around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Filey in North Yorkshire.
NCI watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. They are trained to deal with emergencies offering a variety of skills and experience, and full training by the NCI ensures that high standards are met.
The words National Coastwatch Institution and Eyes Along the Coast and the NCI logos are Registered Trademarks of NCI.
General enquiries
0300 111 1202
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0845 460 1202
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Cornwall, PL14 4AB