During 2020 all NCI stations closed for two months at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. On re-opening most stations were single-manned for the rest of the year.
Glossary of Terms| Incident No. | Date of Incident | Station Name | Incident Summary | Initiated by | Lifeboat involved | MCA | MCA No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36755 | 07/12/2020 | NCI Rame Head | HMCG requested visual search for Paddleboarder. Observed between Looe and Seaton looking safe and well. ILB confirmed paddleboard not in trouble, and left scene. NFAR. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 039035 |
| 36802 | 06/12/2020 | NCI Shoreham | Anchored FV radioed as unable to restart engines. HMCG advised. Second call advised no help currently on hand. HMCG tasked ILB which towed vessel upriver to mooring. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 038948 |
| 36737 | 06/12/2020 | NCI Cape Cornwall | HMCG asked for visual check on kayak stationary for 1 hour. Confirmed to HMCGkayaker was local commercial fisherman known to WKs. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 038950 |
| 36748 | 05/12/2020 | NCI Teignmouth | HMCG requested visual on person clinging to groyne near Pier. Confirmed that an upright at the end of the groyne resembled person. Later confirmed by original contact. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 038876 |
| 36778 | 05/12/2020 | NCI Southend | Reported downed kitesurfer to CG. Casualty monitored and CG updated when he was recovered with another's help. | NCI | No | Yes | n/n |
| 36688 | 01/12/2020 | NCI Porthcawl | Police requested visual search for missing kayaker. Police contacted HMCG. AFter 20+ minutes, HMCG confirmed casualty safe and well and stood everyone down. | Police | Yes | Yes | None |
| 36731 | 30/11/2020 | NCI Shoreham | HMCG requsted status of windsurfer reported in difficulty. Casualty sighted making no progress. HMCG tasked ILB & CRT to assist. Casualty self-rescued, met by CRT. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 038575 |
| 36661 | 28/11/2020 | NCI Mablethorpe | Jogger reported missing companion. Advised HMCG. Spotted casualty on cctv . Casualty arrived at lookout - safe and well. | NCI | No | Yes | 38387 |
| 36638 | 25/11/2020 | NCI Mablethorpe | MoP reported possible ordnance on beach. Informed HMCG. CRT on scene awaiting MOD team. | NCI | No | Yes | 038136 |
| 36643 | 25/11/2020 | NCI Calshot Tower | In contact with CG and RNLI concerning reported drifting lifejacket. No further sighting due to poor visibility. NFA | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 038152 |
| 36637 | 24/11/2020 | NCI Newhaven | Police requested visual search for missing person. Description passed. Spotted person answering description and notified police who attended and removed casualty. | Police | No | No | Police |
| 36625 | 22/11/2020 | NCI Holehaven | MoP reported large driftwood items which may be potential hazard. Reported to HMCG who tasked Canvey CRT to remove. | NCI | No | Yes | 037914 |
| 36630 | 22/11/2020 | NCI Porthcawl | Reported 2 surfers struggling to gain safety. HMCG tasked ILB which was unable to reach them due to surf conditions. AWL put on standby but surfers managed to get ashore. Both OK. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 037901 |
| 36292 | 22/11/2020 | NCI Torbay | Request from Solent CG to check Brixham side of Torbay following a report of a sunken Barge, also grey hulled vessel possibly involved. Reported to Solent CG nothing visible. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 035167 |
| 36556 | 22/11/2020 | NCI Exmouth | Advised HMCG of channel buoy adrift in shipping channel. | NCI | No | Yes | 037420 |
| 36581 | 21/11/2020 | NCI Hengistbury Head | CG requested visual check for kite surfer reportedly 'in trouble'. All surfers in sight were not in distress, CRT confirmed all clear. All assets stood down. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 037831 |
| 36627 | 21/11/2020 | NCI Newhaven | During search for missing scalloper spotted possible debris in water. Advised HMCG of location. AWL reported floating seaweed, but thanked NCI for report. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 037799 |
| 36585 | 21/11/2020 | NCI Porthcawl | Reported struggling windsurfer drifting on ebb tide and maintained eyes-on. HMCG tasked ILB which recovered casualty to shore. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 037823 |
| 36589 | 21/11/2020 | NCI Stone Point | Watchkeeper checked surfboard and sail abandoned on beach and reported to HMCG. Lymington CRT traced owner of board who was safe ashore. Owner collected board and thanked Watcheeper. | NCI | No | Yes | 037826 |
| 36579 | 20/11/2020 | NCI Calshot Tower | Reported to CG a lady without a lifejacket overboard from an inflatable . Calshot ILB launched and casualty recovered safely for transport to hospital | NCI | No | Yes | 037734 |
| 36640 | 19/11/2020 | NCI St Alban's Head | MoP reported receiving text re possible incident. WK investigated, spoke to walkers and workmen. HMCG advised, suggested NFAR. | NCI | No | Yes | 37640 |
| 36562 | 16/11/2020 | NCI Whitstable | Advised HMCG of barrel floating in the water drifting eastward. HMCG confirmed no further action necessary. | NCI | No | Yes | N/A |
| 36552 | 15/11/2020 | NCI Southend | S==Kite-surfer stock on Boom, Kite & board drifting away. HMCG notified. They tasked ILB to recover casualty. CRT also attended. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 037319 |
| 36557 | 15/11/2020 | NCI Porthcawl | HMCG asked for camera/visual search for MoP-reported windsurfer in difficulty. Confirmed all windsurfers monitored and not in trouble. All three walked ashore unaided 15 minutes later. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 037362 |
| 36561 | 14/11/2020 | NCI Felixstowe | HMCG advised NCI of kite surfer in trouble (initially thought to be 2). ILB and AWLB tasked, Casualty with dislocated shoulder picked up and returned to shore and waiting ambulance. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 037232 |
| 36519 | 12/11/2020 | NCI Felixstowe | Surfer in difficulty. HMCG advised. Surfer self=recovered, board drifting. CRT attended, ILB tasked to recover board. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 037051 |
| 36529 | 12/11/2020 | NCI St Agnes Head | CRT requestedd use of lookout as control centre for search for persons swept off rocks. CRTs, LBs and helo searching through the night. Search suspended following midday. 1 missing person not found. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 037059 |
| 36530 | 12/11/2020 | NCI St Agnes Head | Watch Station opened out of hours to provide base for emergency services searching for persons swept into sea. No sightings. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 37059 |
| 36496 | 07/11/2020 | NCI Hengistbury Head | MoP reported PWC in possible difficulty having hit rocks. ILB tasked to investigate. ILB with PWC - not in difficulty. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 036629 |
| 36533 | 07/11/2020 | NCI Torbay | HMCG requested search for casualty in the water. Reported possible sighting. Torbay CRT, LB and Police tasked to search. Casualty found out of water and safe. | MCA/HMCG | Yes | Yes | 036605 |
| 36491 | 06/11/2020 | NCI Hengistbury Head | Advised HMCG of kite-surfer in difficulty. Kite lost. ILB & CRT tasked. MoP reported her partner safe, kite lost. Details passed to HMCG. | NCI | Yes | Yes | 036515 |
| 36493 | 06/11/2020 | NCI Charmouth | Assisted Police and CRT in closing off beach due to unexploded ordnance. Notified Charmouth Beach Superintendent. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | 036526 |
| 36516 | 04/11/2020 | NCI Nare Point | Dory radioed HMCG re engine failure. We reported to HMCG that casualty yacht was under observation. Second dory took casuaalty under tow. We informed HMCG we would maintain obs till out of sight. | NCI | No | Yes | 036328 |
| 36372 | 31/10/2020 | NCI Hengistbury Head | MoP reported kayaker struggling against wind and sea conditions. Advised HMCG and continued monitoring. Lost sight after sunset. HMCG stood NCI down & continuing to monitor remotely. | NCI | No | Yes | 036001 |
| 36357 | 31/10/2020 | NCI Fleetwood | Walkers observed approx ½ mile out – concern over time & tide. HMCG informed, asked us to monitor as walkers return to prom. | NCI | No | Yes | 035985 |
| 36348 | 28/10/2020 | NCI Porthcawl | Co-operated with CG and CRT to check on drifting containers likely to come ashore. | MCA/HMCG | No | Yes | n/n |
| 36331 | 27/10/2020 | NCI Exmouth | ADvised HMCG of MoP report of dog fallen over cliff. CRT dispatched but MoP retrieved dog to safety. | NCI | No | Yes | 035594 |
| 36314 | 26/10/2020 | NCI Fleetwood | MoP reported walker with broken leg near the Lookout. Advised HMCG. Fleetwood CRT took casualty in their vehicle to waiting ambulance. | NCI | No | Yes | 035493 |
| 36296 | 25/10/2020 | NCI Hengistbury Head | MoP reported yacht with no mast stationary in water. Initially no sighting. Advised CG yacht now under power. Maintained eyes on till considered safe. | NCI | No | Yes | 35390 |
| 36298 | 25/10/2020 | NCI Exmouth | MoP reporting paddleboarder in difficulty. HMCG advised. ILB already tasked to shout out of sight of NCI. Maintained obs until paddleboarder safely ashore. | NCI | No | Yes | 035417 |
Currently 56 NCI stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteers keeping watch around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Hornsea in the East Riding of 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
Media enquiries
0845 460 1202
17 Dean Street, Liskeard,
Cornwall, PL14 4AB