15th January 2022. The volunteers of the National Coastwatch Institution would like to congratulate our Search and Rescue colleagues of Her Majesty’s Coastguard for achieving the milestone of 200 years’ service. 

From its beginnings with coastal lookouts to today’s hi-tech national network of coordination centres, from small, localised beginnings to international players, one thing has stayed the same for two centuries – Her Majesty’s Coastguard seeks to search, to rescue and to save. It was on 15 January 1822, that HM Coastguard was formally brought into existence and has been working to keep people safe at the coast and sea ever since.

Claire Hughes, Director of HM Coastguard said: “When you look at how we started and where we are now, it’s easy to celebrate the innovation and development that can be seen throughout the service. And yet, we are far prouder of the people, the volunteers and the staff who throughout two centuries have continued to strive to keep people safe at the coast and out at sea. We always have and always will respond to those in distress”

Over the past two centuries, HM Coastguard has gone from strength to strength, and is now one of the UK’s four frontline emergency services, operating a 24/7, 365 day a year search and rescue service to save lives at sea and on the coast. The National Coastwatch Institution is proud to work with HM Coastguard and we wish our SAR colleagues a very happy 200th birthday.