The Coastguard has been in existence in the Isle of Man for over 140 years. The Isle of Man Coastguard was formed in 1989 in response to the withdrawal of the HM Coastguard and the closure of its co-ordination centre in Ramsey.

Castletown Coastguard is responsible for the provision of search and rescue teams to deal with incidents around the coast and, increasingly, inland. To do this the teams are trained in various rescue techniques, first aid and will co-ordinate with other emergency services.

Castletown Coastguard also gains a high degree of coastal familiarity, by conducting  four coastal patrols per week; over different sections of the coastline, between Onchan Head and Fleshwick Bay; overlaping into Douglas Coastguards area in the North and Port Erin Coastguards area in the South.

This provides the team members with a high degree of local knowledge of access points to the coast; but also knowledge of the different activities undertaken on the sea, and along the coastline.

All Coastguard units are fully equipped with vehicles and a range of coastal and inshore rescue equipment. We are also called upon as part of a co-ordinated response to inland emergencies such as hill searches and river pollution incidents; and to deal with unusual objects washed up on the Island's shoreline, and disposal of out of date phyrotechnics.

Castletown Coastguard Search and Rescue team.