A national shipping incident exercise is under way off the Welsh coast. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will be leading a two-day exercise off the coast of Wales designed to test the response to a serious shipping incident. It will bring together the Port of Milford Haven, shipping and salvage companies and environment groups, as well as the MCA and the Department for Transport. Called Exercise Celtic Deep, the event will run on 21 and 22 October off Milford Haven, with most participants taking part remotely, in line with current Government COVID-19 guidelines. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the UK National Contingency Plan which details the UK’s response to marine pollution from shipping and offshore installations.  

  A 999 call was received at 8.43am today (October 20) reporting a capsized fishing boat off Portland Bill with two people on board. Portland Bill and Wyke Coastguard Rescue Teams, the Weymouth RNLI lifeboat, HM Coastguard's search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent, the South West Ambulance Service and Warship Westminster have been in attendance. The crew of Warship Westminster located the upturned vessel and rescued two people. They were then transferred to the Weymouth RNLI lifeboat. One of the casualties has been airlifted to Dorchester Hospital for treatment by the Lee-on-the-Solent search and rescue helicopter. The other has been transported to Weymouth lifeboat station.