Five UK members of the RNLI have been drafted in from the UK following the mass exodus on Friday which came following a dispute over the charity’s treatment of Andy Hibbs, their coxswain of more than 24 years.
Since the sacking more than 2,000 people have signed a petition calling for Mr Hibbs to be reinstated with support coming from local businesses, Senator Paul Routier and Jersey-born actor, Jonny Labey.
Yesterday Ed Stevens, who has been brought to Jersey by the RNLI to act as a duty press officer, said that the St Helier lifeboat station was able to operate on a limited capability with the crew from the UK.
He said: ‘We are not like for like because we do not have the inshore lifeboat up and running and that is why we are appealing to the crew that stood down to have those conversations to come to a resolution to get back to where we need to be.
‘In the interim, having that crew on the all-weather lifeboat 24 hours a day is a much better position to be in than having no boat.’
However, Mr Stevens stressed that the all-weather boat is capable of doing a number of jobs and added: ‘We have got the St Catherine’s Lifeboat, the Fire Service and those resources to rely on as well as other stations in the Channel Islands if they are needed.’
