UK executive body safeguarding lives at sea and enforcing maritime safety
The government has scrapped plans to pay coastguard rescue officers (CROs) on an expenses-only model, after unions and MPs warned the move would push volunteers away. Ministers say current arrangements will remain, with further engagement planned to understand how CROs can be recognised and rewarded.
Two men have died after entering the sea at Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, to help two children in difficulty. The children are safe. Lifeguard coverage is limited to school holidays, prompting calls for extended safety services. A coroner will review the deaths.
Coastguard rescue officers have worker status, and the MCA plans to stop hourly pay in September to classify CROs as volunteers. MPs, unions, and coastguards are pushing for negotiations amid a growing political row.
The government has confirmed a phased plan to remove the masts of the SS Richard Montgomery, the wartime Liberty ship at Sheerness, to reduce the risk of explosives in the wreck. Work will begin in September with a jackup platform, and the masts will be conserved in the UK for public display at Chatham Historic Dockyard.