The lifeboat Eric W. Wilson was in the middle of being officially named and dedicated in a
ceremony when she was launched to rescue a motorboat.

A call came in from the coastguard to assist a speedboat
with two crew who were suffering from the cold and wet in rough conditions. The
Dean of Jersey rapidly improvised and blessed the lifeboat almost as the
volunteer crew launched.

The speedboat was located approximately four miles
north-east of the lifeboat station and the lifeboat was in attendance within six
minutes.

A crew member was put onboard the casualty vessel to assess
the situation. It was decided that the best course of action was to remove the
two people to Gorey Harbour in the lifeboat and return at a later stage to
retrieve the speedboat. One lifeboat crew member was left onboard the speedboat
to begin making his way back.

The lifeboat was met at Gorey Harbour by an ambulance,
which then took care of the couple, and the lifeboat crew member arrived
shortly afterwards.

Eric W. Wilson returned to station where it was then formally
named by Mrs Dianne P Ward, daughter of Mrs Winifred M Wilson who left the
legacy that helped fund the lifeboat in memory of her late husband Eric W.
Wilson.