Coastguard Rescue Teams respond to more than 30,000 incidents a year, across the UK, with a sole aim of keeping people safe at the coast.

They are called to a wide array of incidents at the coast, and sometimes that call comes from our emergency service partners – as Coastguard Rescue Officers have unique skills in the search and rescue family that police, fire and ambulance services often need.

We see this in the final episode of the series, as a Sussex team coordinate the evacuation from a commercial shipping vessel of a crewman injured and in severe pain. He is in a part of the ship that is hard to access from land, causing serious problems in getting him off the vessel and into the back of an ambulance.

Station Officer Trevor Cutler was the Officer in Charge that day, as the paramedics stand back to ‘follow these guy's instructions, because they're a little better at this’.

Teams almost exclusively operate in narrow, hard-to-access areas with the UK shores often having cliffs, caves and remote beaches – all with their own dangers and potential to cause injury.

And Coastguard teams have specialist equipment to help overcome these difficulties, as well as specialist training and knowledge.

What is a Coastguard Rescue Officer?

The Coastguard Rescue Service is made up of volunteers and is part of HM Coastguard.

As a Coastguard Rescue Officer (CRO), you will be a part of a Coastguard Rescue Team, with a Station Officer and Deputy Station Officer at the helm.

Teams could be sent to incidents from helping rescue people trapped on the coast, most commonly on cliffs, stuck in mud or in need of help in the water, to helping authorities in a missing person search.

CROs report and deal with pollution and other hazards (such as ordnance found on a beach), help emergency services and local authorities during emergencies (including flooding), gather information, go to schools, clubs and other public places to tell people about staying safe at sea and along the coast and even carry out duties for the Receiver of Wreck.

Coastguard Rescue Officer - Officer in Charge

A CRO with specific training to take charge of an incident on the ground for the Coastguard and coordinate the rescue in conjunction with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

They will be responsible for assessing the situation on the ground, providing updates, insights and practicalities of solutions.

An Officer in Charge is often a Station Officer or Deputy Station Officer.

Lamin:

“One minute we were rowing and there was so much noise and chaos, and then the boat flipped over, and it was silent – I was in the water and I just remember the silence.” 

Lamin was the most inexperienced member of the five-man crew attempting to row around the coast of the UK. 

He was given some vital training to ensure he could safely take part before the crew set off from London’s Tower Bridge, on a journey covering more than 2,000 miles of UK coastline. 

Lamin said: “Seeing the UK from the outside in is a bizarre thing, but it’s amazing to see. There’s a point where you can’t see the land at all, and that’s incredible. Scary and amazing all at once.  

“I had dolphins swimming alongside the boat and there are a lot of good memories, until the weather really turned. We saw the best and the worst of what the sea can offer. 

“Yes, some bad decisions were made, but it’s easy to see that now with hindsight. We did the best we could do at the time and made the best decisions we could – it was just us and the waves. 

“The weather got worse and worse and then we capsized, we grounded, we had a number of problems before the night we retired – we called a mayday when it was clear we couldn’t get out of it ourselves. 

“I look back now and think ‘thank you’ to Jason for recognising when we needed that help and getting it to us.” 

Lamin is no stranger to scary or intense experiences, having competed at two Winter Olympics in bobsleigh and having served with the Grenadier Guards in Bosnia and Kosovo. 

“Even though we didn’t finish, what an experience,” he added. “It’s why I keep signing myself up to these sorts of things. 

“It does feel like unfinished business though.” 

Jason: 

Jason has completed the GB Row Challenge before, in a record time in 2013. He has rowed across the Atlantic, travelled widely and taken on many physical challenges. 

But few as challenging as the experience which led to the Prestwick helicopter crew coming to their aid that night. 

“The weather got worse and worse as we rowed – we were battling poor conditions for over a week,” he said. “And it took its toll on us all, mentally and physically. 

“I think that’s one of the most important elements of taking on a challenge like this, recognising when you need to call for help – and when you need the Coastguard. 

“You don't want to be the fool that has to call for help, but actually, it is the best decision to make. You’re a fool if you don’t call for help when the time has come.” 

He said that the decision to call a Mayday on Channel 16 was mulled over for a little while by the crew’s skipper but that it was undoubtedly the right one. 

“We now know that when the helicopter came to our rescue, we were just 300 metres from the rocks and a much more serious situation.” 

Sophie:

Sophie said that the experience would stay with her for a long time, as she reflected on her gratitude towards the Coastguard. 

“Just really grateful to the Coastguard for coming to get us,” she said. “It was close, we were drifting closer and closer to the rocks and who knows what might have happened then. 

“But the helicopter arrived, and the lifeboat too, they saved our lives.” 

She said that the rowing crew have been trying to find a suitable date this summer to reconnect with their helicopter saviours but that, to date, they are still finding the right time. 

“It would be really special if we could come together,” the Paralympic rower said. “We’ve been trying but between one thing and another we haven’t yet been able to get together. But it would be great to see Euan (winch paramedic) and the whole crew soon to talk about it all. 

“I think all of us learned a lot that night – and we appreciate the Coastguard more than ever!” 

Sophie had the added challenge in the race of being a leg amputee and it also added a challenge to the rescue, due to the way a winch works. 

A helicopter winch uses a casualty’s limbs for security and so a little more time and consideration was needed by the helicopter crew to ensure Sophie would be secure in the winch strop.  

With the experience of the search and rescue helicopter crew on hand to provide reassurance and expertise, Sophie knew that she was in safe hands.