At 08:37 local time on Monday 3rd June 2019, a distress message was received by Guernsey Coastguard from the 17 foot vessel ‘Dingbat’ with two persons on board. The vessel had broken down and become swamped one nautical mile North of Les Hanois Lighthouse on the South West coast of Guernsey.
The St Peter Port lifeboat ‘Spirit of Guernsey’ was launched immediately along with the Channel Islands ‘Air Search’ aircraft ‘Air Search 1’.
At 09:14 both the ‘Spirit of Guernsey’ and ‘Air Search 1’ arrived at the location of the vessel which had by this time deployed its liferaft in preparation for abandoning the craft. Shortly afterwards the two persons on board ‘Dingbat’ were transferred to the lifeboat and a tow was established.
‘Air Search 1’ stood down at 09:19, and the ‘Spirit of Guernsey’ arrived back at St Peter Port harbour at 10:29 and was back on station at 10:35.
Pic by Tony Rive 03-06-19
Lifeboat Spirit of Guernsey towing the 17ft Open boat Dingbat back to St Peter Port after if broke down and got Swamped approximately 1 mile North of Les Hanios Lighthouse West of Lihou Island.
The Two Crew were taken aboard the Lifeboat before their Liferaft was tied to their Boat and then towed back to St Peter Port Harbour.Pic by Tony Rive 03-06-19
A Guernsey Harbour Marina Attendant aboard the 17ft Open boat Dingbat to disconnect the Lifeboat Spirit of Guernsey’s Tow rope before taking the boat into St Peter Port Harbour whilst the Lifeboat took the Two Crewman to a waiting Ambulance to be checked out.Pic by Tony Rive 03-06-19
Lifeboat Spirit of Guernsey arriving alongside the Inter Island Quay at St Peter Port meeting an Ambulance after rescueing two Fisherman from their Open Boat approximately 2 miles West of Lihou Island this morning after it broke down and started being swamped. Once a Tow Rope was attached, the crewman’s 17ft boat Dingbat was towed back to Port.
