The shock announcement was made on Friday morning, just days after the crew signalled their intention to split from the RNLI.
It follows a tumultuous year for the station during which the crew resigned after coxswain Andy Hibbs was sacked. He was later reinstated and the crew returned to service.
In a statement, Leesa Harwood, the RNLI’s director of community lifesaving and fundraising, confirmed that the station has been closed and the all-weather lifeboat is to be taken to the UK.
The boat left the Harbour at about 10.30 am.
Ms Harwood said: ‘Today is a sad day. As you know the St Helier crew met with the RNLI earlier this week to say they felt that the relationship with the RNLI is broken and that they want to establish an independent station.
‘I have taken some time to think and speak with the chief executive and the trustees of the RNLI and I can now confirm our next steps.
‘It’s with regret that we have made the difficult decision to close the St Helier lifeboat station for the immediate future. It is impossible to run a station when the relationship with the RNLI and crew has broken down to this extent.
‘The crew have made it quite clear that they want to leave the RNLI and set up an independent lifeboat station. In the interim period, while they pursue that aim, I do not believe that they can fully commit to the RNLI. I no longer have confidence that the station can be run without constant challenges and without constant threat of crew resignation.
‘The lifeboat station and shop in St Helier will be closed and secured. The crew have been stood down. The RNLI has notified the coastguard that there is no longer a declared RNLI search and rescue service at St Helier.
‘Our immediate focus will be on restoring an inshore lifeboat service in St Helier. Re-establishing all-weather lifeboat cover will take a few months and in the meantime the RNLI will transfer the Tamar class lifeboat to Poole, where it will be fully serviced and stay while we make plans for the future.’
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