Lochaber Coastguard
Fort William Coastguard Rescue Team is one of nine teams in the Fort William Sector, which covers the Lochaber area. All teams are administratively responsible to Clyde Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, (MRCC), through their operations room located in Navy Buildings, Greenock.

Our main role is coastal search and rescue but other important work is counter pollution, receiver of wreck and incident prevention. Fort William Sector covers from the Argyll/Highland border in the south to the Southern shore of Loch Hourn in the north and encompasses the small Isles- Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck. The sector continues inland to Fort Augustus (Loch Ness).

The sector has many different types of terrain. High cliffs, rocky and sandy shorelines, peat bog, mountains, sea & fresh water lochs, canals and some mud. There are many anchorages and of course the Port of Mallaig, one of the busiest in the UK.

There are over 800 miles of coastline and over 200 miles of inland waters.

Coastguard Rescue Teams are situated at Fort William, Mallaig, Kilchoan, Lochaline, Salen, Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck. Most mainland teams have 4X4 vehicles to allow them to get to the most remote parts of the sector.

We are assisted by RNLI all weather Lifeboats stationed at Oban, Tobermory and Mallaig. We can also call on our own Coastguard helicopter, (Rescue MU), based at Stornoway, the Navy helicopter, (Rescue 177), based at Prestwick or the RAF helicopter, (Rescue 137), based at Lossiemouth.

There is a Coastguard Patrol craft based just outside Oban. This vessel is capable of 40 knots and carries out many functions such as vessel inspections and surveys and often plays an enforcement role.