BOAT owners have been urged to check the quality of their fuel as well as how much they have in the tank after a 15-metre sailing vessel had to be towed into St Helier Harbour.
The Jersey Lifeboat Association issued the reminder following a callout on Sunday evening after the yacht experienced fuel problems and was unable to make it safely into port.
The JLA was asked to assemble the crew of its inshore lifeboat, Albert Pinel, at 5.11pm, with the vessel launching 17 minutes later.
The yacht had managed to anchor near the Diamond Buoy while awaiting assistance.
A tow was established shortly after the lifeboat arrived and the sailing vessel was brought safely back into St Helier Harbour.
The Albert Pinel returned to base by 6.30pm.
The JLA said: “The conditions were fantastic, unless you were trying to sail, and Bertie made light work of the tow.”
It added that the yacht was well equipped and its crew well practised for dealing with problems, which had made the situation “considerably easier to manage”.
Following the incident, the charity said: “The JLA would like to remind all vessel owners to check both fuel levels and fuel quality before heading out. Fortunately, the sailing vessel was well equipped and her crew well practised for when things go wrong, making the situation considerably easier to manage.”
