Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Brixham Coastguard News

20 Oct 2014

Falmouth CGOC Joins National Network

Falmouth Coastguard Operations Center (CGOC) will become part of the new Coastguard national network for the first time this week. Work has been carried out at the search and rescue coordination center at Pendennis Point, upgrading the technology and introducing new systems. This means Falmouth CGOC will be connected to the National Maritime Operations Center (NMOC) in Hampshire and other Coastguard stations around the country, which will be able to offer mutual support during busy periods. From Saturday, November 1, 2014, Falmouth CGOC and the new national network will start to take on operations from Brixham Coastguard. The changes to Her Majesty’s Coastguard will see the NMOC and 10 other CGOCs around the U.K. work together to manage the workload.

16 May 2014

Man Thrown from Out of Control Speedboat

A man had a lucky escape after being thrown from his speedboat in Teignmouth Quay. Brixham Coastguard said it received a 999 call from a member of the public just after 10am this morning, reporting that a man had been hurled into the water from his speedboat. The boat was then going round in circles and the man was trying to swim away to safety. The Teignmouth Coastguard Rescue Team and the Teignmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat were sent to the scene. The lifeboat crew managed to bring the boat under control by cutting the engine. The man had been picked up by another boat nearby and was brought ashore where he was met by Coastguard Rescue Officers. He’s since been taken to hospital to be checked over, but doesn’t appear to have been badly hurt.

30 Oct 2013

Skipper Fined for Flare Misuse

The skipper of a former fishing vessel has been ordered to pay £3,825 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to firing rocket distress flares when not in need of immediate help. A red distress rocket flare was fired just before the boat torch light procession at this year's Salcombe Harbor Festival - popular with participants and spectators - landing on heathland, whilst still burning. Harbor Master Ian Gibson identified and spoke to the culprit Matthew Yeoman, a 50-year-old from Salcombe, and owner of the converted fishing boat Etoile, as it was clear he was not in need of assistance. Two further rocket flares were later fired further out into the harbor amongst moored boats. This resulted in calls to Brixham Coastguard and a response from the Hope Cove and Salcombe lifeboats.

23 May 2013

Overboard Sailor Rescued off French Coast

A British man has been rescued after falling overboard from a yacht off the coast of Ushant in France. Brixham Coastguard received a 999 call just after 3 p.m. this afternoon reporting that one of the two people on board the yacht had been washed overboard by a large wave. The French search and rescue authorities coordinated the rescue, with Brixham Coastguard assisting by keeping in regular contact with the man still on board the yacht and the French authorities. A search involving a French lifeboat, two search and rescue helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft, along with two Navy ships, one from France and another from Germany, that both happened to be in the area at the time.

14 Jan 2013

UK Tugboat in Trouble: Crew Taken Off

Eight crew members have been taken off a flooding tug boat a mile off Hope’s Nose, Torbay, on the south-west coast of England. The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency reports that the tugboat began taking water after it collided with the vessel on tow. Nearby Brixham Coastguard has been coordinating the rescue operation after the collision in the dark on Sunday evening. The RNLI Torbay all-weather lifeboat and the Exmouth all-weather lifeboat were sent to the scene, along with a local harbour tug from Brixham, the Royal Navy vessels HMS Lancaster and HMS Severn, the RAF search and rescue helicopter from Chivenor and the Torbay Coastguard Rescue Team. Efforts are being made to keep the tug afloat with a salvage crew from the Royal Navy on board, equipped with pumps.

19 Apr 2005

CG Rescues Yacht Harassed by Whales

Brixham Coastguard recently received an emergency 999 call on a mobile phone from a lone yachtsman who had suffered engine failure, and was being harassed by a pod of whales. The yachtsman called Brixham Coastguard via his mobile telephone after suffering an engine and total power failure and being unsure of his position. His situation was further exacerbated by the fact his vessel was being harassed by a pod of whales. Upon receiving the phone call from this gentleman, who was unsure of his position due to his lack of power and not being in sight of land, he was asked to use his handheld VHF radio which he had on board. Prawle point Coastguard rescue team, Salcombe RNLI lifeboat and R193 from RNAS Culdrose who had just completed another mission were all called to assist in the search.

10 Feb 2003

Fishing Vessel and Tanker Collide Near U.K.

A Brixham fishing vessel is now on its way back to Brixham after it collided with a chemical tanker 33.5 miles off Start Point. Brixham Coastguard overheard a conversation between two fishing vessels in the early hours of this morning on Channel 16 and contacted the vessels for further information. The 24 metre beam trawler ‘De Vrow Marie’ was fishing and showing its trawling lights when it was approached by a chemical tanker. The chemical tanker was head on with the fishing vessel and when it was 200 yards away took drastic action to avoid the fishing vessel. At the same time the fishing vessel took action to remove itself from the path of the tanker. However, the fishing vessel steered to starboard, as is the correct procedure, but the tanker steered to port and the two vessels collided.