Lifeboat called as boat owners wake up to sinking vessel

Monday 18 July 2022

A lifeboat crew was diverted from a special boat blessing service yesterday to help a pair who had woken up on a boat that morning to find part of the 27ft vessel underwater.

The RNLI St. Helier all-weather lifeboat was called out to Belcroute Bay around 09:34, just as the crew was arriving at the annual Gorey Boat Blessing Service.

RNLI rescuers explained: "The ALB was underway is less than five minutes and made best speed towards the casualty. Once the ALB arrived alongside the casualty vessel, two crew members were transferred across with the salvage pump.

"The crew members started the salvage pump and began to pump out the water in the engine compartment. The casualties had woken up on the vessel this morning to find the aft deck and bathing platform underwater."

They found that there was "no obvious reason for the water ingress" so the vessel was b"towed back to St. Helier to be hoisted out whilst the crew members remained onboard with the salvage pump"

"Unfortunately the St. Helier ALB missed the Gorey Boat Blessing service but the St. Catherine's inshore lifeboat was there to represent RNLI Jersey," the RNLI noted.