WHITEHAVEN Coastguard Rescue Team was called out yesterday after they received a call about an unmanned surface vessel.

According to their Facebook page, Whitehaven Coastguard was called out after 999 calls were received with cause for concerns for a vessel.

It was reported a small dingy may be in difficulty or overturned off Whitehaven harbour.

As the team arrived on scene to locate the vessel, they were updated that it was now believed to be under escort back into the harbour.

It was found to be one of the Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) which are conducting surveys out at sea from Whitehaven.

On their Facebook page, Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team said: "Thankfully there was no cause for concern and the owners support vessel was in the vicinity and recovering these USVs back into Whitehaven Marina.

"Our thanks to the first informant for doing exactly the right thing and raising their concerns straight away."

Unmanned Surface Vessels are boats or ships that operate on the surface of the water without a crew.

They can be used for various tasks in different application areas such as intelligence surveillance of coasts, port and border security, autonomous searching, signals transmission between air and underwater vehicles, and submarine protection.

Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team added: "In coastal, sea or cliff emergencies always call 999 and ask for coastguard.

"From Rope Rescue (cliff/vessel access etc), Water Rescue, Mud Rescue, casualty evacuation, vessels in distress, Missing Persons, suspicious items (ordnance/pyrotechnics), Royal Fish (whales, sturgeons, porpoises and dolphins) etc, then we’ve got you covered should you need us.

"HM Coastguard are responsible for the initiation and coordination of civil maritime search and rescue within the UK 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 UK as well as some inland waters (for Cumbria this includes Derwentwater, Ullswater, Coniston and Windermere)."