A 64-YEAR-OLD Guernseyman dived overboard after suffering burns when the gas lamp on his boat exploded in Herm harbour last night.

His wife put out a small fire on board and escaped in a dinghy. The unnamed man, who sustained burns to face, arms and legs, then swam to shore, pulling the dinghy behind him and raised the alarm at the Ship Inn restaurant.

Staff put ice and tea towels on his burns until the island’s first aid team arrived.

Herm’s technical services director Simon George, who is also a member of the island’s fire team, received a call at just after 10pm.

‘Fortunately the boat was not on fire, but there was a casualty,’ said Mr George.

Two of the island’s first aid team, estate foreman Gavin Hyde and assistant gardener James Cordingley, were first on the scene, helped by Tom Harvey, a member of the island’s outdoor maintenance team.

The first-aid team is trained to deal with casualties, specifically within the first hour until the [marine ambulance] Flying Christine can get to Herm.

‘All of a sudden you go from sitting watching the television or having a walk to being called in. You have to switch to first aid mode,’ said Mr Cordingley.