📟 Albert Pinel INSHORE LIFEBOAT📟
On Saturday morning (8th August), The Jersey Lifeboat Association had been asked to provide medical cover during the Le Coupe to Carteret sea swim.
Given the medical capabilities of the equipment on board Albert Pinel, and the crews advanced life saving training, the vessel was requested by the event organisers as Albert Pinel was a SAR asset.
The race starting point was Le Coupe Bay at 06:45.
Jersey Coastguard were informed detailing the days events, then the Albert Pinel slipped the lines on her berth in St Helier with four volunteer crew aboard for the 12 hour day ahead and proceeded East around the island to the start point.
On arriving at Le Coupe all swimmers were on the beach waiting for the go ahead from the race control boat and at 07:15am the race began.
The 16 boats and some 60 swimmers began the journey from Le Coupe around the South of the Echrehous and on to Carteret beach, which was the finish point, with the race finish cut off time set at 18:15.
On what was a well stretched out field of swimmers, the Albert Pinel checked in on all boats during the race to confirm that their swimmers and the team were all comfortable and well.
It was at 12:15, the crew was informed that a swimmer had become unwell.
Albert Pinel proceeded to the vessel to assist with medical help, after assessing the swimmer who had been vomitting and suffering from heat exhaustion. It was decided to move the swimmer to a much larger vessel to provide some shelter from the sun and a more comfortable position, whilst the race continued.
The crew of Albert Pinel checked in with casualty every 15 minutes whilst still keeping watch over the other vessels and swimmers.
On the third check in time with the casualty, their condition had not improved and so the decision was made by the lifeboat crew to take him ashore to Carteret where further support would be available.
At 12:55 the Albert Pinel came alongside the vessel "Sante" to pick up the casualty and then proceeded, at safe speed, to Carteret whilst providing ongoing medical assessments.
At 13:15 Albert Pinel was alongside the fisherman's slipway in Carteret, to put the casualty ashore. The casualty was to be moved into a pre-planned facility with our French Fire Service colleagues, after they had begun to suffer from chest pains and shortness of breath.
With time passing by, the crew kept the race control team updated whilst medical help was provided.
On the arrival of the French Fire Service, the casualty was handed over to them, with his wife and children now also at the harbour too.
The Albert Pinel then left Cartaret and returned to the race.
With the race now some 3 hours to finish it was not long before all swimmers were safely ashore, with race completed at 17:00.
Race control gave the crew of the Albert Pinel permission to stand down and leave the finish area in Carteret to proceed back to St Helier.
At 17:40 Albert Pinel was back in the small roads in St Helier and commenced re-fuelling, ready to go back on to her berth ready for service.
A pretty eventful day for all the volunteer crew who were thanked for their commitment and expertise during the event, which had now passed the 12 hour mark.