Boat left stuck in the air after getting marooned on rock in Channel Islands

A boat was left stuck in the air impaled on a rock in the Channel Islands after it ran aground.

For those scratching their head about how it managed to get stuck there like the statue on top of a plinth, there is a simple answer.

The motor cruiser collided with the rocks underwater, and then the tide went out, leaving it 10ft in the air.

Unfortunately, the crew were able to get it unstuck before this point, and they had to be rescued by the RNLI and coastguards at the Ecrehous mini islands, off the coast of Jersey.

It took around twelve hours to rescue those on board, who suffered minor injuries from the impact.

The photographs caused a stir locally, with several people joking ‘Good bit of parking that’ and ‘You can’t park there’.

An RNLI Jersey spokesperson said: ‘Both RNLI Jersey Lifeboat stations were involved in the recovery of a motor cruiser and her crew following a collision with rocks at the Ecrehous.

‘Shortly after 11am, the St Catherine’s inshore lifeboat was tasked with an initial assessment following reports of a grounded motor boat at the Ecrehous reef.

‘Whilst the boat was in a precarious position, it was not in immediate danger as it was clear of the water on a falling spring tide.

‘The casualty boat’s crew had already been transferred to the main island by Seafaris who were on scene as part of a scheduled tour of the reef.

‘The crew were reporting minor injuries from the impact and the St Catherine’s crew performed casualty assessments.

‘Liaising with Jersey Coastguard, it was decided to transfer them back to Jersey using the RNLI Jersey all-weather lifeboat which was then launched from St Helier.

‘The casualty boat crew were then transferred to the all-weather lifeboat using the Seafaris RIB, which has a ladder to make shore-to-boat transfers easier.’

The spokesperson added: ‘The St Catherine’s crew returned to station but were later also tasked to stand by during the salvage operation when the stricken motorboat refloated on the rising tide.

‘The inshore lifeboat then accompanied the casualty vessel back to Gorey where she was hoisted out of the water for a full assessment and repairs.

‘The St Catherine’s crew then recovered and prepared the lifeboat for her next service, which was the conclusion of almost 12 hours of service.

‘Many thanks to Jersey Coastguard for co-ordinating the rescue and Jersey Seafaris for their assistance on the day.’