Lieutenant-Governor joins RNLI lifeboat crew for training exercise off Jersey coast

  • Tim Backshall joined Jersey's Lieutenant Governor and the RNLI crew from St Helier lifeboat station at sea for training exercises

Jersey's Lieutenant-Governor has been out on the water with the local lifeboat crew.

His Excellency Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd - the King's official representative on the island - took a tour with the RNLI crew from St Helier lifeboat station as they took part in training exercises.

Before taking up his post in Jersey in October 2022, he spent more than 30 years at sea serving in the Royal Navy.

He was the last commanding officer of the HMS Ark Royal and later served as the Navy's Fleet Commander.

ITV News joined the lifeboat crew and their special guest while out on training exercises.

The St Helier all-weather and inshore lifeboats were involved, rescuing a fictional bystander stuck on a rocky outcrop in the bay.

The Lieutenant-Governor appeared to enjoy going back to his naval roots - comparing the RNLI's all-weather lifeboat with the aircraft carriers he used to command, saying it is "smaller, but perfectly formed".

The Lieutenant-Governor took his turn at the helm of the RNLI's all-weather lifeboat

He went on to say: "Having been a professional mariner all my life, I wanted to come and see for myself the crew at work.

"It's a complete privilege to be here with Gibby and his excellent crew today seeing their professionalism and the slickness of all this.

"It's a great reminder to everyone in Jersey about the safety wrap we have around the island that's here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to people in trouble offshore or on the beaches.

"It's wonderful - I'm very, very impressed with what I've seen so far."

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