Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue train with Keswick MRT

In addition to being the coordinating authority for Coastal emergencies, HM Coastguard also has a responsibility for coordination on some inland waters of the UK.

In the Lake District National Park, this includes the four passenger carrying ferry waters of Derwentwater, Ullswater, Windermere and Coniston Water.

Looking out over the water (Image: Keswick MRT)

The Lakes Plan ensures the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and/or Cumbria Police processes of tasking and coordination of several statutory, voluntary and local commercial vessel operators to conduct effective search and rescue on these waters and shorelines. However, the exercise on Sunday March 24 was not to this scale and was a business as usual exercise.

Coordinated by HM Coastguards Rescue Coordination Centre in Holyhead, with the regions Coastal Operations Area Commander on scene overseeing the exercise, assets from Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team, Maryport Coastguard Rescue Team and Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service joined colleagues from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team at their base.

The scenario was a missing canoeist reported overdue, whose wife had raised the alarm for help. There was also a possible second canoeist also missing. Search teams worked collaboratively to systematically search the shoreline and surrounding areas as well as afloat, until the casualty was located, stabilised and brought to safety for handover to the next level of care.

The objective of the exercise was to test interoperability of assets and coordination via the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and on ground commanders.

Mike Buratti, HM Coastguard area commander for Northwest England said "Mulit-agency exercises such as this are vital to demonstrate how successfully we can work with other agencies in the event of an incident. Regular training and exercising with partner agencies is essential and allows us to adapt, learn and constantly improve."

HM Coastguard are responsible for the initiation and coordination of civil maritime search and rescue within the UK search and rescue region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the UK as well as some inland waters.