Her Majesty's Coastguard

Her Majesty's Coastguard is a section of the United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime search and rescue within the UK Maritime Search and Rescue Region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom. The chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is Sir Alan Massey. Operational control of the service is the responsibility of the Chief Coastguard. Her Majesty's Coastguard is not a military force, and coastal defence is the responsibility of the Royal Navy. However, the organisation is a uniformed service.