Maritime And Coastguard Agency Annual Statistics for 2006

In comparison with 2005 the reported incidents are slightly down, as is the number of people rescued or requiring assistance.

Image by: MCA

 

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by Angela Smith, Maritime & Coastguard Agency

June 15, 2007

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency have just published their annual statistics for the Coastguard Search and Rescue units throughout the United Kingdom.

These show a small rise in the number of incidents and persons rescued. Concern is voiced though, by The Chief Coastguard, Peter Dymond, regarding the rising increase of maritime deaths and he states that the MCA has already put into place several long term initiatives and the organisation is continuing to seek better preventative measures with our search and Rescue partners, in particular the RNLI.

Milford Haven CG Incident Statistics 2006.

Milford Haven Coastguard District seems to have bucked the trend of higher statistics and our figures below show the differences.

In comparison with 2005 our reported incidents are slightly down, as is the number of people rescued or requiring assistance. In recent years the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has concentrated on accident prevention measures, with our local Coastguards attending Schools, Yachting/Boating Clubs and similar establishments before the ‘season’ started giving advice on all things maritime. The continuous dedication and speedy actions of the Lifeguards stationed on our beaches to potential dangers, and as always the professional support of the RNLI.

The excellent co-operation between the Media and ourselves gave us ‘air and page time’ to get across our local ‘Safety Campaigns’, so that locals and visitors alike were alert to any maritime related problems in our area of responsibility.

The National high profile campaign reminding people to alert the Coastguard by calling ‘999’ when things go wrong has also assisted us in attending incidents much speedier and thus assisting or rescuing persons before the situation became more serious.

The Glorious Summer saw our inshore sea areas, beaches and cliffs thronged with visitors, and like the RNLI, this was our most eventful time and records show it was our busiest period ever recorded. Unfortunately this was also the most tragic of seasons with the Coastguards dealing with 9 of our 15 fatalities.

The Coastguard, RNLI, Lifeguards and other partner Agencies will continue in the coming year, to carry on their close liaison both on sea and land, with an aim to increase awareness and safety, in order that the sustainable growth of the economically important coastal leisure market of the area is not compromised.