St Helier lifeboat launches to fishing boat on fire
At 4.23pm this afternoon the George Sullivan all-weather lifeboat launched from St Helier along with Jersey Fire and Rescue Service to help a fishing boat in trouble just outside the harbour.
The boat had caught fire and two crew members had been safely evacuated; however the flares, fuel and gas cylinders still on board presented some risk.
As the George Sullivan approached, the crew witnessed a number of explosions on board the fishing boat so remained at a safe distance and kept all nearby vessels out of the immediate area.
The Fire Service boat used its firefighting pump to bring the blaze under control, and, after the damaged boat was towed into deeper water, the lifeboat used its hydrant to dampen down the vessel. Once the fishing boat was judged to be safe, it was towed back to a lifting point and handed over to the Coastguard at 6.40pm. The George Sullivan returned to its mooring and was ready for service once again by 7.10pm.
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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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