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A gearbox failure has kept Guernsey’s marine ambulance out of the water for the last two months while it nears the end of its design life.
The future of the Flying Christine III beyond 2024 is under review, but in the shorter term work is ongoing to source new parts as quickly as possible.
She was taken out of service for routine maintenance on 23 January and remains in dry dock at Boatworks.
"We understand the importance of our marine ambulance service to the community, and we want to assure the community that we are doing everything in our power to ensure the vessel is back in service as soon as possible," said a spokesperson for St John Ambulance and Rescue.
"We are grateful to our partners for their support during this time, and we will continue to work closely with them to provide essential emergency services."
Pictured: The Flying Christine has been out of the water since late January.
The Flying Christine was built in 1994 with a design life of 30 years.
St John Ambulance and Rescue is assessing whether the marine ambulance service should continue after 2024.
This will consider the needs of the community and the availability of resources.
The Flying Christine III is provided by the St John Ambulance Guernsey charity, funded through a combination of donations, sponsorship, subscription and charges.
She is crewed by skilled volunteers and operated by the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service with professional paramedic-led medical crews providing pre-hospital paramedic care and the ability to deliver advanced life support for the islands of the Bailiwick.
The Flying Christine III is powered by twin Volvo-Penta turbo-charged diesel engines, giving a maximum speed of approximately 28 knots.
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