The 'Flying Christine III' was built by Seaward Marine for the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service of Guernsey. The craft was based on a Nelson 45 hull, with a one-off superstructure specially designed for the purpose. She is used by the service for attending and transporting the sick and injured from nearby islands and passing ships. In particular from the nearby popular tourist destinations, the small islands of Herm and Sark where there are only very limited medical facilities available.
The marine ambulance's medical cabin is equipped with full paramedic facilities and two stretchers. These stretchers are interchangeable with those of the road ambulance vehicles operated by the St John Ambulance service. This means that the casualty can remain on the same stretcher from the point of being picked up right through to the hospital at Guernsey. The Ambulance & Rescue Service also have to respond to cliff fall casualties, which are common on Guernsey's rocky coastline, the ambulance control centre is able to deploy a shore based cliff recue team, an insore R.I.B. and also the marine ambulance. Sometimes it is better to move injured fallers down rather than up a cliff. Whether they are taken up the cliff to a waiting road ambulance or down the cliff via the R.I.B. to the 'Flying Christine III' the casualty is sure to receive the fastest possible access to paramedic facilities.
