§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many people were rescued by the Coastguard Service and Air Sea Rescue services during each year since 1969; and how many deaths occurred in each of these years.
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§ Mr. TebbitSeparate figures for persons rescued by Her Majesty's Coastguard are not available. The main role of the Coastguard is to initiate and co-ordinate action by the United Kingdom search and rescue services, which include the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Ministry of Defence helicopters. The numbers of persons rescued in search and rescue incidents involving the Coastguard during each year since 1969 are listed below. The numbers of lives lost in incidents at sea reported to the Coastguard in those years are also listed.
Year Persons rescued Lives lost 1969–70 2,878 Not recorded 1970–71 3,550 Not recorded 1971–72 4,324 Not recorded 1972–73 4,109 198 1973 5,060 237 1974 6,760 268 1975 7,365 210 1976 7,684 239 1977 7,433 208 1978 6,684 250