Heavy tow for Channel Islands Tyne saves fishing boat and four crew St Heller's relief Tyne class lifeboat Owen and Ann Aisher is pictured towing the 105ft commercial fishing vessel Ross Alcedo into St Helier harbour after taking her in tow just yards away from grounding on rocks in a heavy swell.

Ross Alcedo had left St Helier on the morning of 30 January 1994 with four people aboard and had developed engine problems just 15 minutes after leaving in rough seas and a Force 5 from the WSW.

The lifeboat was launched at 0816 and by the time she reached the casualty at 0835 the fishing vessel was just minutes away from being swept onto rocks in a swell more than 6ft high.

The Tyne was able to take her in tow, but because of the size of the casualty and the sea and wind conditions it took more than two hours to tow her to the safety of St Helier harbour. The 105ft casualty dwarfed the 47ft lifeboat and was the largest vessel the station's crew had taken in tow, one of the crew members telling the local paper '...we had to do a job that a tug would normally do... our hearts were in our mouth as we towed the vessel through the harbour mouth.' Repairs were made to the vessel - which was believed not to have been to sea for some two years - and she left again on the evening tide. The following day she was reported to have lost power again off the French coast..