THE Jersey Lifeboat Association’s all-weather vessel has returned to the Island for the first time since it hit rocks last year, but is currently unable to take part in search-and-rescue operations.
Sir Max Aitken III was sent to the UK for repairs following the incident, which happened near Noirmont Point in November while the JLA were en route to help a French yacht.
The charity was forced to suspend its operations while investigations into the incident were carried out. A meeting with Ports of Jersey is due to take place later this week, with JLA chairman Ben Shenton saying he was ‘hopeful’ the meeting would lead to the organisation becoming fully operational again.
Mr Shenton said of the vessel: ‘It went for repairs straight after the accident, so it’s nice to have it back.’
He added that the crew had continued to conduct training sessions, including a multi-agency exercise with French authorities that took place a few weeks ago.
In an open letter sent to the Jersey Harbour Authority, Ports of Jersey and Deputy Lyndon Farnham in May, Mr Shenton said there was ‘no legal or factual basis’ to freeze either of its vessels, including its super-fast inshore RIB, Albert Pinel, and asked for confirmation that the JLA could immediately resume its operations as a search and rescue (SAR) asset.
Mr Shenton said: ‘It depends on what view Ports of Jersey take.
‘We have been busy training and making sure that our standards are the highest – at the end of the day whether we are used as a SAR asset is not in our hands.’
Jersey’s Harbourmaster, Captain Bill Sadler, said: ‘We need to make sure the necessary processes are followed so that when SAR assets are called out both the crew and those whom they rescue are safe.’
JLA vessels
– Sir Max Aitken III: A Tyne-class all-weather lifeboat with a maximum speed of roughly 18 knots
– Albert Pinel: A Gemini Waverider 880 CR, a high-speed RIB with a top speed of around 50 knots
