Monday 2 May 2011

HM Coastguard Control Centres - News From Wales, May 2


"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking to save £210m over 25 years by cutting the number of UK coastguard stations from 18 to eight. Stations in Milford Haven and Holyhead would close and the base in Swansea downgraded to daytime cover only.
Now the parliamentary Transport Select Committee, which is conducting a full inquiry into those proposals, has written to Save Milford Haven Coastguard Campaign Group inviting two members to travel to Westminster on May 24 to give oral evidence to the committee of cross party MPs."
Lifeboats to the rescue off Co Down coast this past week-end. The co-ordination of this rescue would have been carried out by HM CCC in Bangor, Co Down.

"Although the generic title is Belfast Coastguard, the MRCC is situated at Bangor Harbour. It has 24 staff divided into four watches A, B, C & D. Each Watch has one Watch Manager in charge of Search And Rescue (SAR) operations, two Watch Officers, and two or three Coastguard Watch Assistants. The Operations Room is manned 24/7/365, and deals with SAR incidents in the District by means of the VHF radio and telephone line"