Incident Summaries

To return to the main NCI website, please use the back arrow at the top of your screen.

The Total Number of Incidents since we started recording them can be found by selecting '-Year' from the Year filter : 8201
Alternatively select a specific year to see how many Incidents were reported for that Year.

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.


Please note: NCI Canvey Island was previously know as NCI Holehaven and moved location on Monday 18 October 2021. All NCI Canvey Island Incident Summaries before that date will be in respect of NCI Holehaven at its previous location.

Glossary of Terms
FAWGI = False Alarm With Good Intent, MoP = Member of the Public, NFA = No Further Action, HMCG, CG or MCA = Coastguard, MisPer = Missing Person
CRT = Coastguard Rescue Team, CGOC = Coast Guard Operations Centre, ILB/ALB/LB = Lifeboats, MV = Motor Vessel, MB = Motor Boat,
ML = Motor Launch, FV = Fishing Vessel, PB = Power Boat, PWC = Personal Water Craft ("Jet Ski"), RIB = Rigid Inflatable Boat,
VLCC = Very Large Crude Carrier, UKBF = UK Border Force
Incident No. Date of Incident Station Name Incident Summary Initiated by Lifeboat involved MCA MCA No.
41333 22/03/2022 NCI Exmouth NCI observed yacht aground. HMCG informed. NCI maintained visual until vessel refloated on rising tide. NCI No Yes 006499
41340 22/03/2022 NCI Rhoscolyn NCI heard 'AllStations' message re. overdue kayaker. Visual watch commenced. NCI told CG that a fishing vessel was in area. ILB and CRT tasked. 2 kayakers seen, but not casualty, and not in trouble., ILB located casualty on rocks, and was conveyed back to safety. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006476
41322 20/03/2022 NCI Froward Point HMCG requested visual on capsized kayak. Negative. ILB tasked but too shallow to approach casualty on rocks. HELO requested. NCI gave weather update. , HELO winched one casualty out, and 2 kayakers paddled to ILB to return to harbour. Kayaks secured by ILB. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006247
41339 20/03/2022 NCI Felixstowe NCI informed by HMCG that a yacht had run aground. Visual watch requested. CRTs also monitored situation. ILB tasked and moved casualty ashore, and waited for tide to refloat vessel. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006208
41294 20/03/2022 NCI Hengistbury Head NCI observed Motor Cruiser aground on entering harbour. HMCG contacted vessel, who confirmed problem, and NCI provided local conditions report.Visual maintained until casualty refloated. MCA/HMCG No Yes 006230
41295 20/03/2022 NCI Torbay HMCG contacted NCI re. call from MOP concerning 2 paddle boarders possibly in trouble. CG had been informed of their intentions. NCI monitored subjects until went out of sight., Phone call received saying they were safe and back on beach. CG informed. MCA/HMCG No Yes 006125
41296 19/03/2022 NCI Nells Point HMCG called NCI advising 2 MOP were cut off by tide on island. Visual established, reported to CG and ILB tasked. NCI stayed after normal closing time to maintain watch., NCI directed ILB to casualties, picked them up, and spotted one other who was fishing and remained on island. Casualties transported back to safety MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006163
41301 19/03/2022 NCI Gosport Pan Pan from yacht with sail problem. NCI had visual and advised HMCG. No AIS signal seen. Vessel under engine power and still trying to clear problem. , Police launch offered assistance but conditions too rough. Casualty got under way, then Pan Pan reopened as further problem developed and LB tasked to tow casualty back to harbour. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006068
41312 19/03/2022 NCI Shoreham NCI observed capsized canoe within harbour, with 2 persons struggling to right it. HMCG informed. W/K went to assist, but they climbed breakwater and abandoned canoe. Casualties were met by W/K and PC, Casualties declined medical attention, CG advised of outcome, and Mobile CG recovered canoe. NCI Yes Yes 006117
41318 19/03/2022 NCI Porthcawl May Day heard, but CG could get no response re. position and nature of problem. NCI scanned area, nothing seen. All vessels requested to keep look out., Eventually decided probably a hoax. MCA/HMCG No Yes 006070
41279 19/03/2022 NCI Hengistbury Head HMCG contacted NCI re. yacht aground on sandbank. Vessel observed, 1 POB water rough. ILB tasked, but unable to get close to initiate tow. I casualty taken off. , vessel then refloated and drifted, and ILB took it under tow back to harbour. Vessel not seaworthy. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 006034
41280 19/03/2022 NCI Hengistbury Head Ferry skipper phoned NCI to say a wind surfer had been recovered safely, but rescue equipment had been used and discarded. Request contact RNLI to restore equipment RNLI No Yes 006061
41285 19/03/2022 NCI St Alban's Head NCI observed vessel behaving erratically both on AIS and visually. HMCG informed and tried to contact vessel on Ch16. NCI requested to monitor. , CG did contact vessel, and NCI stood down. NCI No Yes 006124
41273 18/03/2022 NCI Cape Cornwall MOP contacted HMCG re. two wind surfers in trouble. Visual requested. One wind surfer seen, and not apparently in trouble. MCA/HMCG No Yes 005960
41274 18/03/2022 NCI Torbay HMCG asked for visual on swimmer possibly in difficulty. Camera not working so unable to help. ILB tasked and swimmer self rescued. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 005972
41271 17/03/2022 NCI Caister MOP handed in to NCI corroded live round. Item placed in bucket of sand and HMCG informed. Police tasked to recover, but watch closed before they arrived. , Item removed from station by competent person and Police notified. NCI No Yes 005680
41272 17/03/2022 NCI Caister NCI observed small craft and persons on exposed sandbank in wind turbine exclusion zone. HMCG informed, wind farm authority confirmed it was their personal surveying NCI No Yes n/a
41270 16/03/2022 NCI Caister NCI obsered unidentified floating object 200 mtrs offshore. HMCG informed, and NCI asked to monitor. Object came ashore and NCI recovered Childs inflatable. LB tasked but cancelled. NCI Yes Yes n/a
41250 15/03/2022 NCI Torbay HMCG asked NCI for visual on paddle boarder after concern by MOP. NCI had already logged subject and continued to monitor. Subject returned to beach safely MCA/HMCG No Yes n/a
41321 14/03/2022 NCI Folkestone MOP reported to NCI a dolphin / porpoise was stranded on beach. HMCG advised, and Mobile team tasked to deal with problem. NCI No Yes 005599
41238 12/03/2022 NCI Fleetwood HMCG alerted NCI to possibility of walkers being cut off by tide. NCI saw group walking safely to shore MCA/HMCG No Yes 005433
41456 12/03/2022 NCI Wells-next-the-Sea MOP phoned NCI saying 2 persons and 2 dogs were cut off by tide. HMCG informed and ILB tasked. Casualties picked up and returned to safety. NCI Yes Yes 005423
41241 12/03/2022 NCI Felixstowe NCI observed paddle boarder in trouble. Lost paddle and drifting. Swam ashore and went back out and had same problem. HMCG informed. Casualty returned safely to shore, CRT had chat with casualty NCI No Yes 005447
41227 09/03/2022 NCI Porthcawl HMCG contacted NCI re. call from MOP concerning object in water 100 mtrs off beach. Search initiated, and black/yellow marker buoy identified. Camera link provided. MCA/HMCG No Yes 005232
41191 07/03/2022 NCI Rhoscolyn Pan Pan fron HMCG re. kayaker unable to return to shore. CRT and ILB tasked. NCI had visual, CG informed. ILB recovered casualty in inflatable kayak. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 00505
41199 07/03/2022 NCI Exmouth HMCG informed NCI that a MOP had reported an unattended tender seen at Dawlish Warren. NCI established visual, and reported to CG. CRT tasked and beached vessel. MCA/HMCG No Yes 005065
41182 06/03/2022 NCI Porthcawl MOP reported to NCI sighting a person motionless on rocks.Police and HMCG informed. No visual but camera trained on area. ILB crew tasked, as was HELO. NCI acted as Comms relay ., Casualty recovered from area and taken to LB station awaiting further Police investigation. NCI Yes Yes 004874
41171 05/03/2022 NCI Newhaven NCI oheard HMCG report a search for missing distressed male. NCI observed possible sighting on CCTV. CRT tasked, spoke to person, but not casualty. Search continued. MCA/HMCG No Yes 004869
41172 05/03/2022 NCI Newhaven HMCG asked NCI for visual search re. grey RIB reported by MOP to be in trouble. Search revealed grey RIB with 2 POB fishing, not apparently in trouble. RIB later entered harbour MCA/HMCG No Yes 004880
41159 04/03/2022 NCI Boscastle HMCG contacted CRT to assist Police and ambulance with injured MOP. Comms very poor so NCI acted as relay between CRT and emergency services. , HELO tasked and casualty safely extracted and taken to hospital. Police No Yes 004789
41319 02/03/2022 NCI Folkestone NCI reported to HMCG possible hazard to navigation. Team tasked to investigate. Decided no hazard to navigation, so local council asked to remove object NCI No Yes n/a
41133 02/03/2022 NCI Folkestone NCI obsered empty RIB adrift off harbour. HMCG informed and ILB tasked. ILB confirmed vessel empty and towed it back to harbour, and handed it to CRT. NCI Yes Yes 004594
41151 02/03/2022 NCI Exmouth NCI observed kite surfer who lost board and attempting to swim ashore. HMCG informed and requested NCI monitor situation. Casualty reached beach safely. NCI No Yes 004628
41116 28/02/2022 NCI Hornsea NCI observed MOP cut off by tide, HMCG informed. Rescue RIB tasked, CRT also tasked. Casualties were anglers content to stay until tide receded. NFA. NCI Yes Yes 004448
41087 27/02/2022 NCI Nells Point NCI observed 4 MOP cut off by tide. HMCG informed, ILB tasked. 4 casualties returned safely to shore. NCI Yes Yes 004373
41084 26/02/2022 NCI Newhaven NCI observed person on cliffs, possibly under influence of alcohol. HMCG informed, Police and Ambulance given position. CRT tasked, Police contacted casualty, and established not a threat to himself NCI No Yes 004283
41088 26/02/2022 NCI Stone Point Pan Pan heard from vessel with steering failure. NCI informed HMCG they had visual and asked to monitor. Pan Pan cancelled as issue was with auto pilot system, CG advised to reboot system. NCI No Yes 004289
41102 26/02/2022 NCI Gosport Pan an issued by vessel in harbour entrance. Crew member with back injury. NCI informed HMCG they had visual. Vessel proceeded to marina and met by CRT and ambulance. MCA/HMCG No Yes 004284
41156 26/02/2022 NCI St Donat's Bay Cabin Cruiser reported limited engine power, NCI requested to monitor. Vessel then dialled 999 to report engine failure. NCI reported no immediate danger. AWLB tasked and towed casualty to harbour. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes 004301
41083 25/02/2022 NCI Bass Point Unknown station called HMCG requesting assistance for kayaker with possible broken ribs. Signal unreadable, but NCI relayed message by phone. NCI requested to respond on Ch16, but nothing heard. , CRT tasked, as well as ambulance, NCI asked to monitor. Casualty recovered and passed to ambulance. NCI No Yes 004233

© National Coastwatch Institution 2012-2024
Registered Charity No. 1159975