Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 01, 2025

VISAR receives $174,000 for VIRGIN GORDA vessel from UK maritime and coastguard agency

VISAR receives $174,000 for VIRGIN GORDA vessel from UK maritime and coastguard agency

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is an executive agency of the UK Government, will provide $174,000 of funding to BVI’s Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) in order to support ongoing search and rescue operations in BVI.

The announcement was made on Monday by the Governor during VISAR’s Annual General Meeting, which was attended by VISAR’s Board of Directors, volunteers and supporters of the charity. The Governor’s Office have secured these funds for the Territory.

Approximately $140,000 of the MCA’s funds will contribute towards the purchase of a new vessel, enabling VISAR to have an expanded presence in Virgin Gorda and thereby a larger footprint across the Territory.

The MCA will also provide funds to support the maintenance of this new vessel and VISAR’s existing vessel, to ensure that both boats can deliver their full potential out on the water.

The remaining funds will enable VISAR to run a ‘first responder’ course for volunteers working in remote locations. This will give them the skills and capability to help any injured persons ahead of professional medical services arriving on location. In a Territory such as BVI, which spans may miles of sea and includes islands without medical facilities, first response skills can save lives.

Altogether, these funds will give a significant boost to BVI’s maritime sector and contribute towards BVI’s ongoing efforts to fulfil international obligations in this area.

His Excellency the Governor said, “I am very happy to announce this funding and to see the continued collaboration between VISAR and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The MCA has always held VISAR in the highest regard for its governance structure, accountability and operational delivery.” He added, “this is something I take special interest in given my Constitutional responsibility for the safety of BVI and our disaster preparedness. I am pleased to see UK funds being invested in our people to help our people.”



Ms Julie Schneider, Executive Creative Director at VISAR said, “VISAR is grateful to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for the recognition of our volunteer search and rescue organisation, and for the generous grant which will secure the purchase of our new rescue vessel for Virgin Gorda. This will ensure the continued safety of our crew and the citizens, residents and visitors to the British Virgin Islands.”

Mr Christopher Doherty-Ingram of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said, “We’re very pleased to support projects which assist BVI in enhancing the safety of life at sea and fulfil its international maritime obligations. This new vessel and the ‘first responder’ training can make all the difference in life or death situations.”

VISAR is a non-profit, non-governmental voluntary organisation dedicated to ‘saving lives at sea.’ It is the officially recognised search and rescue service in the British Virgin Islands, where it provides 24-hour cover every day of the year in close cooperation with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, fire and ambulance services. Since VISAR’s formation, it has carried out over 1,600 search and rescue missions.

VISAR is largely reliant on community fundraising, volunteers and donors – which has been severely impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are proactively seeking new donors, volunteers and funding streams to support the organisation.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency is an executive agency of the UK Government that also works to prevent the loss of lives at sea. It holds responsibility for ensuring UK compliance with international obligations relating to maritime law and safety.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×