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 : 8914
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
37145 31/01/2021 NCI Cromer Reported to CG some children dangerously climbing a cliff slippage. Monitored them until they moved away. nfa NCI No Yes
37161 31/01/2021 NCI Penzance CG requested visual search for swimmers reported by police in bad weather. Nothing seen. Later reported them ashore. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37190 31/01/2021 NCI Canvey Island Reported to CG a RIB possibly damaged by youths on shoreline and liable to be washed out as a hazard. CRT attended to move. NCI No Yes
37127 30/01/2021 NCI Hengistbury Head MoP advised to report of floating object to CG. Poor visibility proved no sighting achieved. CG closed incident as no further information obtained. NFA MCA/HMCG No Yes
37128 30/01/2021 NCI Calshot Tower Reported to CG possible stranding of fishermen and requested ILB attend. LB located targets and reported no assistance required. NFA NCI Yes Yes
37126 29/01/2021 NCI Nells Point CG requested any sighting of people possibly stranded on sand bar reported by MoP. Locality not visible from Lookout. Situation monitored until fishermen left before sandbar became covered. FAWGI ? MCA/HMCG No Yes
37210 28/01/2021 NCI Llandudno CG requested any info on overdue return of FV. Recorded as seen departing but no further sighting. nfa MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37123 28/01/2021 NCI Hengistbury Head Relayed to CG two MoP reports of kite surfer down and unable to recover. LB tasked but stood down when target now reported back on beach. NCI Yes Yes
37155 27/01/2021 NCI Exmouth CG requested any sighting of surfboarder reportedly 'in difficulty'. No visual obtained. CRT also attended. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
37120 27/01/2021 NCI Exmouth Reported to CG and Harbourmaster presence of large tree trunk in shipping lane. Monitored its progress but NFA. NCI No Yes
37104 25/01/2021 NCI Shoreham Reported to CG small inflatable in difficulty, ILB launched and directed to target by NCI to recover safely to harbour. NCI Yes Yes
37091 23/01/2021 NCI Porthcawl Relayed to police and CG an MoP report of two persons acting dangerously on beach with air rifles. Camera footage obtained. Targets left beach before police arrived. NCI No Yes
37083 22/01/2021 NCI Needles Reported drifting unmanned rowing boat to CG with an FV in locality. Monitored recovery to harbour by the FV. NCI No Yes
37074 21/01/2021 NCI Hengistbury Head Alerted CG of windsurfer in possible difficulty. MoPs also reported him. Target lost to sight but reported safe on beach. LB tasked but not launched. NCI Yes Yes
37077 17/01/2021 NCI Boscastle CG requested current weather conditions during recovery of missing person. Monitored his recovery by CRT, Air ambulances and ILB. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37061 16/01/2021 NCI Exmouth CG requested any sighting of walkers reported stranded in mud. MCA/HMCG No Yes
37062 16/01/2021 NCI Exmouth CG requested any sighting of surfers reportedly 'in difficulty'. Target sighted and reported as safe and not in difficulty. FAWGI MCA/HMCG No Yes
37082 15/01/2021 NCI Needles Informed CG that disabled FV was visible. Target monitored until recovered to harbour by AWLB. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37057 08/01/2021 NCI Gwennap Head Monitored and reported to CG on safe recovery by AWLB of FV caught in own nets. No casualties. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37018 06/01/2021 NCI Fleetwood Local CG requested any sighting of photographer in danger from tide but nothing visible from Lookout. ILB attended and returned him safely to shore having been cut off by rising tide. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
37010 05/01/2021 NCI Needles CG requested weather update or sighting of swimmer reported 'in difficulty'. Conditions reported as 'fair' but no sightings. FAWGI? nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
36988 04/01/2021 NCI Mablethorpe Reported to CG large debris on beach. CRT attended and found two drums lashed together. ELDC requested to remove them. NCI No Yes
36978 02/01/2021 NCI Hornsea Reported concern over lone fisherman at risk from rising tide and darkness. CRT and LB deployed but no sighting. Assumed to have left beach safely nfa NCI Yes Yes
36989 02/01/2021 NCI Exmouth Reported to CG large flotsam as danger to shipping. CG issued navigation warning. NCI No Yes
36958 02/01/2021 NCI Porthcawl Reported to CG sighting of two MoP apparently cut off by rising tide trying to climb back. Two ILB and CRT attended until all (fishermen) safely on land.. NCI Yes Yes
36959 02/01/2021 NCI Hengistbury Head Reported to CG small boat aground on falling tide. ILB launched and directed to casualties to bring it back safely to shore. NCI Yes Yes
36940 31/12/2020 NCI Exmouth Reported to CG a large tree trunk adrift in channel as a hazard to shipping. Monitored but NFA taken. NCI No Yes
36945 31/12/2020 NCI Torbay CG requested any visual on disabled PWC. Target sighted and monitored until towed in by local craft. MCA/HMCG No Yes
36946 31/12/2020 NCI Newhaven Remained on watch having overheard MV reporting to CG as out of fuel close to ferry terminal. Monitored casualty until towed in by AWLB then stood down. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes
36924 30/12/2020 NCI Hengistbury Head VHF call re grounded yacht.Advised HMCG who had received calls. Casualty told HMCG they'd wait for high tide. NCI requested to keep eyes on. Next day HMCG addvised that casualty refloated safely. NCI No Yes
36898 29/12/2020 NCI Teignmouth Advised CG of considerable marine debris post Storm Bella as danger to shipping. CRT attended to monitor. nfa NCI No Yes
36892 28/12/2020 NCI Llandudno Reported large marine debris to CG. Monitored until it grounded on sandbank. nfa NCI No Yes
36893 28/12/2020 NCI Llandudno Sighted walker on sandbank in deteriorating weather. Alerted by siren and monitored until off beach. nfa NCI No Yes
36900 28/12/2020 NCI Torbay Received report of kite surfer reportedly 'in difficulty'. Target not sighted. nfa MCA/HMCG No Yes
36899 28/12/2020 NCI Torbay Received report of two MoP on cliffs in poor weather. Targets not visible from Station. nfa NCI No Yes
36879 26/12/2020 NCI Exmouth Report of 'hazard to shipping' passed to CG and Harbourmaster. Latter arranged its removal. NCI No Yes
36870 24/12/2020 NCI Wells-next-the-Sea Monitored and reported downed windsurfer. Updated as another windsurfer assisted recovery. ILB also attended but medical help refused. NCI Yes Yes
36868 24/12/2020 NCI Exmouth Relayed to CG report of downed kitesurfer. ILB attended and casualty recovered safely to shore. NCI Yes Yes
36867 24/12/2020 NCI Exmouth Relayed to CG report of dog in trouble in sea. CRT and surf rescue team attended to recover safely to land. NCI No Yes
36882 24/12/2020 NCI Penzance CG requested any visual on downed paddle boarder. Casualty sighted and reported to CG. LB attended to recover him safely to shore. MCA/HMCG Yes Yes

© National Coastwatch Institution 2012-2025
Registered Charity No. 1159975