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 : 9703
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
34059 19/02/2020 NCI Penzance Reported concern over yachts in heavy weather to CG. ILB assisted potential casualties into harbour. NCI Yes Yes
34088 19/02/2020 NCI Shoreham Reported to CG NCI beach patrol finding of partially damaged dinghy. No casualties found. nfa NCI No Yes
34041 13/02/2020 NCI Folkestone CG passed MoP report of drifting,unmanned dinghy. Monitored its drift but Harbourmaster unable to assist. Fishermen in local pub recovered it to shore. MCA/HMCG No Yes
33990 12/02/2020 NCI Penzance Monitored and updated CG on recovery by local speed boat of disabled FV. NCI No Yes
34001 12/02/2020 NCI Calshot Tower Reported drifting vessel to CG. RIB and LB attended to tow her back in safely. NCI Yes Yes
34003 11/02/2020 NCI Needles CG requested visual search for yacht transmitting an EPIRB Alert. No sighting but casualty located safe. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
33974 09/02/2020 NCI Penzance Reported to CG many people in danger from waves on the Promenade. CRT activated and NCI directed them to the area to move them out of danger. NCI No Yes
33951 08/02/2020 NCI Hornsea Reported to CG a fisherman in danger of rising tide. Monitored and stood down when he remained safe. NCI No Yes
33962 08/02/2020 NCI Gosport In contact with CG and QHM over SART alert received. Police launch established that a departing yacht had a malfunction which had initiated the alert. nfa NCI No Yes
34111 08/02/2020 NCI Gosport Reported beacon alert to CG. Police launch advised it to be the yacht's equipment fault. nfa NCI No Yes
33950 08/02/2020 NCI Wells-next-the-Sea Casualties phone lookout to report stranded on sandbank by tide. ADvised HMCG who tasked ILB. ILB took casualties aboard and returned them to shore. NCI Yes Yes
34046 08/02/2020 NCI Torbay Assisted CG in identifying reported 'missing persons'. MCA/HMCG No Yes
34047 08/02/2020 NCI Torbay In contact with CG concerning recovery of disabled FV by RNLI.. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
33915 05/02/2020 NCI Canvey Island CG requested monitoring of grounded PWC after irresponsible manouevres. RNLI and CRT attended. PWC and rider recovered safely. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
33919 05/02/2020 NCI Porthcawl CG requested monitoring of person fallen from horse. Camera contact established. CRT and ILB attended to safely remove casualty from incoming tide and helo casevac to hospital. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
34049 05/02/2020 NCI Swanage Attended fallen cliff climber and assisted CRT and helo to correct location for casevac of injured casualty. NCI No Yes
34045 05/02/2020 NCI Torbay Reported unattended boat to CG. Monitored and updated when divers returned to it. nfa NCI No Yes
33883 02/02/2020 NCI Exmouth Relayed MoP report of grounded yacht to CG. ILB attended to tow off safely. NCI Yes Yes
34039 01/02/2020 NCI Folkestone Reported an apparently abandoned RIB to CG. Council contacted by CG to remove it. NCI No Yes
33882 01/02/2020 NCI Exmouth Reported grounded yacht to CG. Monitoring continued. nfa NCI No Yes
33851 30/01/2020 NCI Porthcawl Relayed MoP report of fishing net debris to CG. Object investigated and accurate position reported. Local council informed. NCI No Yes
33900 28/01/2020 NCI Nare Point Reported French beam trawler fishing within restricted zone to CG and MMO Hayle. NCI No No
33818 28/01/2020 NCI Hengistbury Head CG requested monitoring of kiesurfer reportedly 'in difficulty'. Target sighted and updated when he reached beach safely. MCA/HMCG No Yes
33786 27/01/2020 NCI Hengistbury Head CG requested visual check on swimmer reportedly 'in difficulty'. Updated when he was reported safe ashore. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
33517 27/01/2020 NCI Calshot Tower AIS radio beacon activated. Advised HMCG. HMCG later confirmed false activation. NFAR. NCI No Yes
33822 26/01/2020 NCI Southend Reported to CG kite surfer downed and swept seaward. ILB and CRT attended and casualty recovered safely. NCI Yes Yes
33764 25/01/2020 NCI Hengistbury Head MoP reported that companion had been tripped by dog and had broken ankle. CG informed. CRT and ambulance attended to casevac to hospital. NCI No Yes
33737 22/01/2020 NCI Calshot Tower CG asked if garbled Mayday call had been received. Confirmed it had but was unreadable. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
33740 22/01/2020 NCI Charlestown Two MoP reported to CG observed tidebound on rock. Fowey ALB already on service attended to bring them safely ashore. NCI Yes Yes
33756 21/01/2020 NCI Mundesley Reported to CG that damaged buoy was worsening. Watch maintained. NCI No Yes
33817 20/01/2020 NCI Mundesley Reported to local authority a large section of broken groyne on beach about to be floated out as a hazard. NCI No Yes
33713 19/01/2020 NCI Hengistbury Head Reported to CG that grounded motor boat was visual. Monitored and updated when local ferry towed it in. NCI No Yes
33912 17/01/2020 NCI Folkestone CG requested search for inflatable reported ashore. Search revealed no sighting. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
33704 17/01/2020 NCI Nells Point Monitored and updated CG on recovery by local craft of dismasted dinghy which had triggered a DSC alarm signal.. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
33707 17/01/2020 NCI Nells Point Provided CG with correct position of yacht in difficulty for ILB to escort it in safely. CRT also attended. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
33675 13/01/2020 NCI Felixstowe Reported large debris to CG. Local CG attended and found it to be a large timber hulk, Recovered it to shore. NCI No Yes
33659 12/01/2020 NCI Calshot Tower Spotted capsized catamaran and reported to CG and RNLI. Calshot ILB recovered it and its crew safely to shore. NCI Yes Yes
33666 12/01/2020 NCI Exmouth In contact with CG concerning probably unmanned vessel drifting seaward. Visual contact lost as it drifted out to sea. NCI No Yes
33652 11/01/2020 NCI Porthcawl Relayed MoP report of person stuck in mud to CG. RNLI crewman in dry-suit released him to shore safely. NCI Yes Yes
33644 08/01/2020 NCI Calshot Tower CG requested monitoring of fiserman in danger of tidal rise. Target identified and updated when he moved inshore. MCA/HMCG No Yes

© National Coastwatch Institution 2012-2026
Registered Charity No. 1159975