Maritime community mourns for John Petit

Friday 15th April 2011, 2:29PM BST.

Former harbour master and lifeboat coxswain Captain John Petit, right, in the place where he was happiest, at the helm of a boat, in this case the current St Peter Port lifeboat, Spirit of Guernsey, with current cox Buz White. (Picture by Brian Green)

TRIBUTES have been paid to the ‘irreplaceable’ former lifeboat coxswain and harbour master Captain John Petit, who died on Wednesday.

Mr Petit, 83, who received the MBE from the Queen for his services to the RNLI and to Guernsey while he was harbour master, was a well-known member of the local maritime community.

Current harbour master Captain Peter Gill said Capt. Petit would be sorely missed.

‘Captain John Petit was a man that everyone looked up to,’ he said.