Flying Christine III undergoing maintenance
18 March 2026
The marine ambulance Flying Christine III is currently in scheduled maintenance and inspection in the Isle of Wight.
The marine ambulance Flying Christine III is currently in scheduled maintenance and inspection in the Isle of Wight. The vessel is undergoing an extended programme of preventative and remedial maintenance, allowing both engines to be fully inspected, tested and refurbished, to ensure she remains safe, reliable and ready for the 2026 season.
Importantly, the vessel’s engines are overall in very good condition. This work is being undertaken to protect reliability and extend the vessel’s operational life for as long as possible.
Flying Christine III is expected to remain out of the water until late April to early May.
Flying Christine III plays a vital role as a lifeline medical service for the islands of the Bailiwick. With no dedicated alternative capability to move sick and injured patients from the smaller islands to Guernsey, it is essential that the vessel is maintained to the highest possible standard.
Dean De la Mare, Head of Operations at St John Ambulance and Rescue Service, said:
“Following significant refurbishment during 2024 and 2025, Flying Christine III has a further lease of life, but like any ageing vessel, she requires increasingly thorough annual maintenance. The engines are in very good overall condition; this work is about ensuring reliability and extending the vessel’s operational life for as long as we safely can.”
Flying Christine III is a charitable service and receives no government funding. It is operated by a dedicated crew of professional volunteers and relies on the generosity of the Bailiwick community, alongside modest charges that help offset the cost of clinical care. The service costs approximately £80,000 per year to run, excluding fuel, which is kindly sponsored.
During summer 2025, Flying Christine III responded to 31 cases to Sark, Alderney and Herm.
While Flying Christine III is in scheduled maintenance and inspection off-island, the ambulance service has long-standing contingency plans in place, using a number of relief vessels.
“We have contingency arrangements to ensure we can continue to reach patients in the smaller islands while Flying Christine III is away,” Dean De la Mare added.
“This time of year is typically quieter, which makes it the best and safest window to undertake extended maintenance. We are also very grateful to the owners and operators of the relief vessels who support us during this period.”
