Coastwatch volunteers look out for UK maritime emergencies

14/01/2022

A national volunteer organisation keeps watch around the UK coastline, looking out for flare alerts, boaters in trouble and maritime emergencies.

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) runs 57 stations with the help of 2,600 trained volunteers. It also provides vital back-up for the Coastguard service.

The NCI was founded in 1994 to maintain a coast watch service. This came after a government cost-cutting exercise led to the closure of smaller coastguard stations around the UK. There were also subsequent closures of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres.

Technology cannot spot a distress flare

The NCI says, “Accidents happen, and technology cannot spot a distress flare, children or adults in trouble, an overturned boat, a yacht with problems, a water sports enthusiast in difficulty, navigational hazards such as floating tree trunks or possible pollution incidents.

“A trained Watchkeeper can, and each NCI station is manned by a team of fully trained and VHF licensed volunteers who keep a daylight watch up to 365 days a year. All stations aspire to and most have already achieved DFS (Declared Facility Status) which means that they have been designated as available for maritime search and rescue (SAR) under the direction of HM Coastguard, according to a specific standard or set criteria.”

NCI watchkeepers monitor radio channels. They also watch the coastline. This assists the coastguard in the protection as well as the  preservation of life at sea and along the UK coastline.

A new NCI station at Filey, Yorkshire, is expected to be added in the summer. Volunteer watchers are being recruited in the coming months. It will be the NCI’s most northern station on the East Coast.

The NCI, which receives no government funding. It is managed by a Board of Trustees and its constitution is agreed by the Charities Commission. Each base is managed by an elected Station Manager who also reports to the board.

To find out more about the NCI, go to https://www.nci.org.uk/