Date:
04/08/2024
Four Calls in 2 Days
It was an exceptionally busy weekend for RNLI Jersey and its volunteer crew, who responded to four calls over two days.
There were three incidents involving the St Catherine's crew and one for the St Helier crew, along with both crews providing safety cover for the Sark to Jersey rowing race.
There were three incidents involving the St Catherine's crew and one for the St Helier crew, along with both crews providing safety cover for the Sark to Jersey rowing race.
The weekend started at 8:55 am on Saturday, when the St Catherine's crew was tasked to investigate a report of a vessel drifting north of the Ecrehous. Upon arrival, they found an unoccupied vessel with its engine trimmed up, having broken free from its mooring. The crew towed the boat to a nearby visitor mooring.
Later that day, both the St Helier all-weather lifeboat and St Catherine inshore lifeboat provided additional safety cover for the Sark to Jersey rowing race. During the event, the St Helier ALB was tasked with assisting a sailing vessel 6 miles southwest of Corbiere that had a tarpaulin stuck on its rudder and propeller. The tarpaulin had seriously restricted the manoeuvrability of the vessel so it was decided to tow the vessel back to St Helier, with the crew returning to the station seven hours after their initial departure.
Shortly after the St Catherine crew had cleaned and stored the lifeboat in the boathouse, they received another call from Jersey Coastguard. Three people had become stranded on a beach between Greve de Lecq and Devils Hole in a small dinghy. The crew arrived on scene, towed the casualties out on the dinghy, and transferred them to the ILB before returning them to shore at Greve De Lecq.
The final call came on Sunday morning for the St Catherine crew, who were tasked with responding to a mayday call 7 miles north of the Ecrehous. As they prepared to launch, Jersey Coastguard informed them to stand by. It turned out that the mayday was not from a vessel in distress but rather someone reporting hearing a mayday call on the radio. Thankfully, there was no actual distress, and the crew was stood down by Jersey Coastguard.
As the summer season brings more people to the water, RNLI Jersey reminds everyone of the importance of boating safety. Always ensure your vessel is properly secured to its mooring, carry the necessary safety equipment, and have a means of communication in case of emergencies. Remember, in the event of a problem, it’s better to call for assistance early rather than waiting until the situation worsens.
