As one of the world’s busiest stretches of water, the English Channel is packed with danger. Fortunately for those using these waters, an elite team of rescue agencies including the RNLI, the RAF, Customs and the Coastguard patrol 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
For them, drama comes in many forms – including the investigation of suspicious fishing trawlers, people missing at sea and smugglers bringing in contraband. They are ready to respond to every type of incident, risking their lives to avert disaster and make the Channel a safer place.
Sea Patrol UK shadows a major rescue operation to locate a reportedly suicidal man last seen heading towards the Dover cliff tops. With a cold winter night drawing in, police units on the ground and the RAF from air, launch a desperate bid to locate him before it’s too late. When a 69 year-old sailor falls ill onboard a 200ft sailing ship, night-time mayday calls summon the RAF, but with rigging, sails and huge masts, can the rescue helicopter get close enough to winch him to safety? Back on land, the beaches are awash with hoards of timber – cargo lost from the Russian vessel, the Sinegorsk. As people descend on the beaches to claim the timber, the authorities spring into action to ensure everyone stays safe.
