Despite spending hours in the water and then shivering on the rocks, the fisherman was not injured. He was treated at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital for hypothermia but is believed to have been released to recover at home later the same day.

Pictured: The fisherman swam to safety and climbed on to rocks near Herm where he waited to be rescued. 

The Spirit of Guernsey Lifeboat suffered some damage in the rescue, after coming into contact with the Cul de L'Autel rock, where the fisherman had swum to after losing his boat.

The hull and propellors are believed to have been damaged and need repairing before the vessel can return to service.

In the meantime, Guernsey waters are being covered by a relief boat from the UK, provided by the RNLI. 

Pictured top: The Spirit of Guernsey, pictured by Tony Rive.