Maritime rescue

Catastrophe at sea brings a whole new set of challenges to SAR teams

The ocean is unpredictable even for the most seasoned sailors; with few navigational landmarks, limited communication with the mainland, and erratic weather changes, it’s easy for seafarers to find themselves in danger. Fortunately, experienced maritime teams are ready to come to the rescue. The training is intense, but with thousands of people going missing at sea every year, it is a vital service.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a UK charity organisation dedicated to saving lives at sea. Their 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service has saved over 140,000 people since its foundation in 1824 and prides itself on the courage of its volunteers, who work tirelessly to keep people safe and return them to dry land. Whether it is rescuing the passengers of sinking ships, pulling yachts with engine failure back to shore, or searching for people dragged out into the ocean due to strong currents, the RNLI average 24 call-outs every day.

The volunteer teams around the UK are provided with state-of-the-art equipment and first-class training, during which they learn sea safety and survival techniques and how to operate radar, electronic navigation equipment and rescue boats. The RNLI College in Poole is home to a unique wave tank that simulates violent weather. The special effects are incredibly realistic. A powerful wind machine creates gales, while sound and lighting systems recreate thunderclaps and lightning. This means the teams can practise capsizing drills and sea survival, so when they first experience an emergency they will deal with it confidently.

According to Andy Buck, an RNLI volunteer, the biggest problem in a search and rescue can be identifying someone’s location. “It can be difficult because there are no landmarks at sea – it’s just water, so people don’t always know where they are located. But we can triangulate positions of a distress call while we’re on the boat when someone calls on the radio.“

When emergencies are closer to the shoreline it falls to Her Majesty’s Coastguard – a branch of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency – to take action. The two organisations work together closely to ensure the safety of those in UK waters.