FIREMEN TO THE RESCUE WHEN the 25-foot fishing vessel Bounty of Jersey, G.I., with four men aboard, was reported in difficulties at 8.21 p.m. on 24th July, 1970,* off the Rigdon Bank in St. Ouen's Bay, Jersey, the St. Helier life-boat Elizabeth Rippon was launched at 8.42. She was accompanied by the States Launch Duchess of Normandy which had the harbourmaster (who is also the station honorary secretary) on board.

At the same time the fire service and the police were sent by the Sea Rescue Centre to stand by ashore at St. Ouen's Bay, as the casualty was reported being swept on to a lee shore with its steering gear out of action. There was a west south westerly gale with a very rough sea. Visibility was poor with heavy rain squalls.

While the life-boat and the States launch were making for the scene, the fire service twinengined 'Zodiac' inflatable was towed by road five miles from its base to St. Ouen's bay, from which point, with a crew of three, it was launched into heavy surf which it cleared with difficulty, and eventually came up with the fishing vessel about one mile from the shore. The Bounty was pitching and tossing in the heavy ground sea and was dragging her anchor. The 'Zodiac' attempted to get alongside Bounty but was quite unable to do so. The helmsman, Sub- Officer D. C. Bickley, therefore decided to lie off and stand by.

At about 9 o'clock the States launch, which is faster than the life-boat, arrived and immediately closed the casualty to take off the crew, but they all refused to leave their boat. By this time Bounty had dragged her anchor as far as the L'Etacq reef where her anchor held in a depth of 24-feet.

The harbourmaster and the skipper of the launch decided that as the crew of the casualty would not abandon their boat they would have to try and take the vessel in tow. At the first attempt the launch was lifted by the sea over the tow line and the starboard propeller becamefouled. The line was cut, and a iurther attempt was made manoeuvring on the port engine only, but the port propeller soon became fouled on the unseen tail streaming from the starboard propeller. The launch anchored immediately The life-boat was informed and a tug sailed from St. Helier harbour to render assistance.

As soon as the Duchess of Normandy was anchored the harbourmaster called the 'Zodiac' alongside and he exchanged places with two of the crew. He then persuaded Sub-Officer Bickley to make another attempt to get alongside the casualty, which he did with a very determined effort. This time three of the crew were prepared to leave their boat, but the fourth stubbornly refused. These three men were transferred to the anchored launch, then once again the 'Zodiac' returned to the casualty to try and induce the remaining crew member to abandon Bounty, but in vain. While returning to the launch a wooden fore and aft strut in the 'Zodiac' fractured, rendering the craft less seaworthy in the prevailing conditions, so it was secured astern of the Duchess of Normandy.

When the life-boat Elizabeth Rippon arrived she was requested to take the Duchess of Normandy in tow, the intention being to transfer the tow as soon as possible to the tug which had already been requested for this purpose. The life-boat would then be free to stand by the casualty which still had one man on board. In the event, the life-boat did not transfer her tow to the tug, which the coxswain asked to stand by the casualty while the life-boat continued to tow the launch and 'Zodiac' to Bonne Nuit on the north coast of the island.

By 10.38 the tugmaster reported that, with the falling tide, the conditions were no longer suitable for his vessel to stand by the casualty and the tug returned to St. Helier, leaving Bounty which soon afterwards began dragging her anchor again when one of the flukes sheared.

Immediately the life-boat and Duchess of Normandy arrived at Bonne Nuit the harbourmaster telephoned the fire service and arranged for another of their 'Zodiacs' to stand by on shore to cover Bounty. Eventually the casualty was washed ashore at 3 a.m. on 25th July, where the remaining survivor was helped to safety by the second 'Zodiac' crew. The life-boat was then recalled to her station from where she had been awaiting daylight off Plemont point and was secured to her moorings at 4.56. At 12.40 p.m. the Bounty broke up.

The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Sub-Officer D. C.

Bickley of the Jersey Fire Service, and letters of thanks signed by the Institution's Chairman, Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods, G.B.E., K.C.B., D.S.O., were sent to Fireman J. Robertson and Fireman T. Billot also of the Jersey Fire Service..