A Cumbrian Coastguard team has revealed it was called out 109 times in 2025 – a 22 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.
The volunteer team respond to coastal emergencies, including cliff and mud rescues.
Working alongside other emergency services, the majority of the team’s callouts are prompted by a 999 call. Members also help air ambulances to land at incident sites and hospitals.
It also works with other Coastguard rescue teams in Cumbria, including Whitehaven, Maryport and Millom.
The Coastguard is responsible for the initiation and coordination of civil maritime search and rescue within the UK search and rescue region.
This includes the mobilisation and organisation of adequate resources to respond to people in distress at sea, or to people at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the UK as well as some inland waters, including Derwentwater, Ullswater, Coniston and Windermere.
In 2025, the Whitehaven team rescued, helped, offered safety advice or recovered 102 people and pets.
It said it was called to:
- 31 concerns for safety, including 14 walkers, 12 vessels, 3 kayaks or canoes
- 19 water rescues/floods
- 15 pyrotechnics or flares
- 13 lost or missing people searches s
- 6 distress calls
- 6 helicopter landing sites
- 5 pollution investigations
- 1 receiver of wreck/royal fish
The team said: “As always, our thoughts are very much with the families and friends of those whose loved ones are no longer with us. Also, our best wishes go to those casualties who are still on their road to recovery.”
