Rescue at Sea International is a highly illustrated reference and general interest book which deals with all elements of coastal lifesaving and rescue at sea from the earliest times to the present day. The book is broken into four principle sections. The first section deals with the history of coastal lifesaving, how lifesaving organizations developed (principally in China, Great Britain and continental Europe) and how the humanitarian ideal would eventually spread to other parts of the world. The second section, on the development of rescue craft, deals with the more technical elements of coastal lifesaving and provides a chronology of lifeboat and rescue craft design by profiling milestones in the evolution of these vessels from the earliest pulling and sailing lifeboats to the high-tech, high speed heavy weather motor lifeboats of today. The third section of the book provides a more contemporary view on the subject, profiling many of the prominent countries and maritime rescue organizations now in operation; their development, their rescue craft and their coastal operating environments. Finally, section four provides a brief overview of some of other aspects of coastal and oceanic search and rescue (SAR) network, including radio and satellite communications and the roles of aircraft and offshore patrol vessels in the international maritime SAR structure. Rescue at Sea International is more than just a reference book. Special interest chapters tell the stories of the coastal heroes, and the tragic side of coastal lifesaving, the losses of lifeboats and their crews throughout history. On the technical side there is a chapter dealing with current trends in lifeboat and rescue craft design and technology. Rescue story sidebars are featured in most chapters, these describe some of the most awe inspiring, and harrowing, tales of rescue at sea throughout the ages.