Last night at 9:28PM, both the RNLI St Helier all-weather and inshore lifeboats were tasked to assist a French sailing vessel that had struck rocks just south of the tanker berth. The vessel had eight people on board, including four children and infants. The crews arrived on scene 12 minutes after the initial page to find the vessel against the rocks, with some of the casualties already transferred to a liferaft and some on the rocks.

The inshore lifeboat and the daughter craft from the ALB quickly deployed crew members ashore to secure the casualties and transfer them to safety. The young children were promptly transported back to the harbour, while the remaining casualties were brought onto the lifeboats and met by our shore crew, Jersey Coastguard, and the Ambulance Service.

The proximity of the incident to the harbour meant this was a fast-paced rescue, but the exceptional training and teamwork of our crews ensured it was executed efficiently. All casualties from the sailing vessel were assessed at the lifeboat station, with a few taken to the hospital for precautionary checks. Jersey Coastguard kindly arranged a hotel for the night, and the sailing boat was recovered and hoisted out of the water in the early hours of the morning.

We remind all mariners that lifejackets are essential safety equipment and should always be on board and readily accessible.