HRH The Prince of Wales Commissions 'Flying Angel'

The purpose-built seafarers' support boat takes its name from the flying angel symbol of The Mission to Seafarers, the international society that has cared for seafarers regardless of race or religion in over 300 ports around the world for over 150 years.

'Flying Angel' is customised on the original design of a pilot boat and was built by Albwardy Marine in Dubai. The funding has come through the US$ 1 million 'Angel Appeal' organised by The Mission to Seafarers in Dubai to coincide with the society's anniversary celebrations.

"The appeal caught the imagination of the UAE public as well as government and local and international corporations, irrespective of their religious denomination and their generosity has been overwhelming," said Dubai Mission chaplain Stephen Miller.

'Flying Angel' will serve seafarers whose ships use the east coast anchorage of the UAE. It is the second largest bunkering anchorage in the world, with 100 to 150 ships there at any one time. At present, as many as 2,000 seafarers who crew these ships are unable to go ashore to contact their families, sometimes for many months.

When the boat goes into service at the end of March, seafarers will be able to relax and unwind away from their ships. Facilities include an internet café for surfing the web and sending emails, telephones, a book and DVD library and refreshments. A full-time welfare officer will provide spiritual and pastoral care and legal assistance.

Stephen Miller said the initiative for the 'Flying Angel' project came after he met a stranded seafarer at the anchorage, unable to step ashore. "When I went on board, the seafarer used my mobile phone and heard he was the proud father of a son born four months earlier. It was his desperate isolation that made me think that we should take the Mission centre to them."

The support boat is a 21st century version of the "Eirene", the cutter built by the Reverend John Ashley, the man whose ministry to sailors on ships in Bristol, England in the early 19th century inspired the foundation of the Mission. There was a chapel below deck for sailors to take part in church services.

Since those Victorian days, Mission chaplains have used dinghies and launches to visit ships but, said Stephen Miller, 'Flying Angel' is the world's first vessel purpose-built to carry centre-based facilities to the seafarers.