French sailor plucked from the sea at night by RNLI Jersey crew
Lifeboats News Release
The St Catherine's lifeboat crew sprang into action on the evening of April 21st after receiving an urgent call from Jersey Coastguard.
The pager sounded just after 9.30pm, prompting an immediate launch to rescue a person in distress at the Ecrehous.
According to initial reports from Jersey Coastguard, the individual had been on a vessel that was sinking, and had ended up in the water. Communications were lost, but the person was wearing a life jacket. The St Catherine's
inshore lifeboat quickly launched and headed towards the main approach channel to the main island. The St Helier all-weather lifeboat was also tasked and the crew started to make their way round to Les Ecrehous.
As the St Catherine’s crew made their way to the scene, they spotted a light in the distance in the direction they were searching. They headed towards the light and found the man in the water clutching his mobile phone with the torch on. The crew swiftly pulled him aboard and assessed his condition. While he was alert and chatting with the crew, he was suffering from the effects of the cold.
The St Catherine's crew transferred the casualty to the Carteret all-weather lifeboat, where he would be able to warm up quicker. They then made their way back to the station.
Speaking about the rescue, Robin Fitzgerald, Helm of the St Catherine's lifeboat last night said, "We are thankful that the individual was wearing a life jacket and had a mobile phone with a torch, which helped us locate him. This is a reminder of the importance of always wearing a life jacket and having proper communication equipment when out on the water."
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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 142,700 lives.
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