Wightlink’s Victoria of Wight car ferry has lost power and is limping into Portsmouth using auxiliary power only this morning (Friday), prompting the launch of Bembridge RNLI’s lifeboat.
The year-old vessel got into trouble off Fishbourne at around 08:00 when a technical problem developed. An hour later and she is still proceeding slowly across the Solent at just 3.5 knots, battling the tide as she goes.
Bembridge’s All Weather Lifeboat is heading towards the vessel in case the auxiliary power is also lost, which would result in the massive ferry going adrift with passengers on board.
It is thought that an attempt is going to be made to enter Portsmouth Harbour and dock at Gunwharf terminal as soon as possible.
Wightlink have been approached for a statement.
UPDATE @ 09:12 – The Tamar-class lifeboat is now alongside Victoria of Wight and is escorting the car ferry towards Portsmouth Harbour.
It appears that the ferry has picked up speed to 8 knots, indicating that some power has been restored.
UPDATE @ 09:33 – Wightlink have confirmed that there are 158 people on board the ferry – 145 passengers and 13 crew.
In a statement, the ferry operator has confirmed that the 08:00 sailing from Fishbourne is delayed because of a technical fault to its propulsion system.
The ferry is said to be making her way to Wightlink’s Portsmouth terminal under her own power, although the tug ‘Yorkshireman’ is now alongside and has established a tow.
Island Echo understands that if the vessel cannot be safely docked she will be placed at anchor outside of the harbour.
UPDATE @ 09:50 – Those on board say that a tug is now assisting the ferry into the International Port, not the normal Gunwharf terminal.
Free toast and tea is being handed out to the 147 passengers on board.
The significant delay to the 08:00 sailing is expected to have a serious knock-on effect to today’s timetabled service. Those travelling should expect cancellations and delays.
UPDATE @ 11:00 – Wightlink has said that their vessel is now berthed at Portsmouth International Port and affected customers due to sail with Wightlink later today are being contacted and moved to alternative sailings.
A spokesperson has said in an updated statement:
“Wightlink ferry Victoria of Wight is now safely berthed at Portsmouth International Port. The vessel entered port under her own power after a technical fault resulted in her running on reduced power after leaving Fishbourne at 08:00 this morning.
“Vehicles and passengers are currently disembarking the vessel. There were 145 passengers and 13 crew on board.
“Wightlink engineers will assess the situation.
“There will be alterations to Wightlink’s services later in the day, Wightlink is contacting customers who will be affected and moving them to alternative sailings”.
It has been confirmed that the 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00 and 23:59 sailings from Portsmouth and the 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00 sailings from Fishbourne have all been cancelled today.
All booked customers will travel on the next available sailing.
Oh dear,… yet another nail in the coffin ?
cue the comments of “another reason for a fixed link”
cue the usual resonsese of ” if you don’t like it , move back to the mainland”
The elastic band has broken.
“Those travelling should expect delays”
Those travelling on ytelink always expect delay don’t they????
If you don’t like it move off the island
Anything mechanical will always have problems Fromm time to time
Ohh,..I was right 🙂
I like goats
West Wighter, if you don’t like people moaning about wight link, you should move off the island. 😀
Why should i !!
It’s people like you that don’t belong here!
So clear off
Your not wanted !
We yeah okay, get the pitchfork put away.
Why do you automatically assume I’m an Isle of Wighter???
Some of us have to come here to work to keep things going dontchya know.
Booked on the 8pm from Fishbourne. Text msg from Wightlink says I’m booked on the 2010 from Yarmouth but doesn’t say where I will end up so a bit concerned it will be Lymington. Have been trying to get through to Wightlink for an hour now……….
of course its Lymington wake up
I was (still am) in a state of shock!
Wightlink as reliable as ever!! At the very least Islanders should have a reliable, affordable service.
But still a better service than you dont get from the floating bridge.
There was a time along the sea
We saw wightlink floating free
Delays here and breakdowns there
The Island residents in despair
Then came along a contractor
And built a fixed link
The old people of the island kicked up a stink
But now the island has a thriving economy
And we see no horrible wightlink floating on our Sea
Crime did not rise
Red Squirrels still about
Businesses invested
and Bob Seely was kicked out
So in the end
The island survived
It might of taken years
of hearing residents cries.
You are just something else!words cannot describe!!!!
I wish people would stop going on about fix links. Even if I had all the cash in the world I would do it and for these reasons alone: During the festival as three ferries bring 900 cars into the island per trip the island is grid locked… Hint Hint… And with island roads as like any council doing their best to make our roads safer and upgrades this also causes delays, so imagine thousands of cars visiting daily through the summer??? And worst of all, imagine when hoards of gypsy travellers set camp in your front garden as will be so easy to cross the channel cheaply… Have you considered all of these options, Na probably not…
More bullshit build a bridge
Shitelink are crap and being run into the ground. Sadly, would rather a terrible service than a fixed link
How much is it and its more efficiently to build a tunnel twat
If the Solent was not dredged there would be a natural fixed link. although would be just sand. 😀 The island is a man made island.
Uhhh the Solent isn’t dredged!!
What planet are you on.
@don – what utter crap.
The island is not a man made island -Some 30 million years ago Stresses within the Earth’s crust buckled and folded the rock layers, which were then uplifted and eroded. Gradually the Island began to assume its present shape, although until very recently (on the geological scale) it remained attached to the mainland to the north, roughly where the present Solent runs, was a great river, the so-called Solent River which drained a large area of central-southern England. About ten thousand years ago, sea levels began to rise and the great ice sheets of the last Ice Age melted. As sea level rose, the estuary of the Solent River was gradually inundated until eventually the Isle of Wight became separated from the mainland. This is thought to have occurred about 7,000 years ago.
Built in turkey it is a turkey
Should of spent that 45 million on a floating bridge!
Should of spent that 45 million on a floating bridge!