St Helier all-weather lifeboat returns to Jersey
Today (5 December) sees the George Sullivan – St Helier’s Tamar class lifeboat – return to its mooring at St Helier where further training will take place with its new crew.
Since its journey to Poole on 17 November, the all-weather lifeboat has been fully serviced and returns to its home on the island so that new local volunteer crew can continue their training in local waters.
The George Sullivan, one of the Tamar class of all-weather lifeboats introduced in 2005, is capable of a top speed of 25 knots and has a range of 250 nautical miles. The lifeboat is very agile for her size and has belted seating for ten survivors in an area below the wheelhouse; in total, the lifeboat can carry 118 survivors. The Tamar also carries an inflatable powered daughter boat housed under the deck.
Liam Krige, RNLI Channel Islands Area Lifesaving Manager, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome the George Sullivan back to its mooring today. This is an important milestone in our plan to restore a full lifesaving service to Jersey with a local volunteer RNLI crew at the earliest opportunity’.
‘Volunteers with previous lifeboating experience have already completed the first stages of their all-weather training in Poole and will now return to the island, with the recently serviced lifeboat. We hope to have the boat back in full service with the new crew by the end of March 2018.’
‘We thank the local volunteer crew for the considerable commitment they have shown to us, and to the people of Jersey. We look forward to the recruitment open days this weekend and to providing the high standard of training needed to run our lifesaving service.’
Notes to editors
- We expect the George Sullivan to arrive back in St Helier at around 4pm today but may arrive earlier depending on conditions. Please follow its progress at http://www.marinetraffic.com/ge/ais/index/positions/all/shipid:191528/mmsi:235050568/shipname:RNLI%20LIFEBOAT%2016%2012 for real time position and updates to plan any filming of the boat’s return.
- Interviews with Liam Krige, the RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager, will be available today at the St Helier Lifeboat Station from 3.30pm. Please see the contact below to register.
- Recruitment open days for all volunteers will take place at St Helier Lifeboat Station on Friday 8 December from 4-8pm and on Saturday 9 December 9am – 4pm.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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