Passengers on board Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry helplessly watched on as a man swam for his life after nearly being mowed down by a 195,000 ton cargo ship in Southampton Water earlier this morning (Sunday).
Shortly before 09:50, 3 men in 2 dinghies were enjoying time on the water when they became aware they were slap bang in the middle of the main shipping channel.
With the 400m long container ship Al-Zubara heading straight for them, the 3 men attempted to move out of the way. However, one of the dinghies suffered an engine failure – forcing the occupant to abandon ship and swim for his life.
With just seconds to spare, he managed to get far enough away from the path of the container ship to prevent being sucked underneath – and it was all captured on camera by Harvey Brett-Hill.
The East Cowes to Southampton car ferry initiated its man overboard procedure when the Captain and crew became aware of the situation on the Port side of the ferry.
Thankfully, the lucky sailor was rescued by his friends after a real dice with death and the Red Funnel ferry was able to proceed to dock at Southampton as normal.
UPDATE – It has been confirmed that the casualty was recovered by Southampton Harbour Master patrol and taken to the docks, where members of Hillhead Coastguard Rescue Team were on hand to assist.
The male was passed into the care of South Central Ambulance Service.
Hillhead CRT also assisted the casualty’s friends and with the management of the dinghy.
Not excusing the idiots in the RIBs, but where was the Southampton Harbour Patrol, normally so officious in forcing a safe distance?
Well no accounting for idiots that cargo ship didn’t just appear surely they saw it long before it bore down on them
Glad to hear that everyone was okay.
More depressing is seeing all that stuff coming in from China.
Be nice if we went back to the times of “Made in Great Britain” where we actually made stuff in this country.
Would be more environmentally friendly too.
YJC,
Just looking at the green Starboard buoy and the fact it is stated this was filmed from the Port side of the East Cowes to Southampton Red Funnel ferry, the container ship is actually leaving the UK loaded with containers – hopefully some with UK exports.
I agree about how much people continue to buy goods from overseas and if we can we should be supporting buying from our own country and locally. Only we can make that decision.
I did a brief contract at Soton Docks 3 years ago and it was an eye opener. For a start I never realised quite how huge the area was. Also learnt (my biggest surprise) most of the container ships (then, before COVID and blockages) left here mostly empty! All the ships I’d watched in the Solent when at the beach; I’d pondered what were in all those beautifully stacked coloured boxes: seemingly nothing!! Stuff comes here in them – countries need them back to refill and send again. As I say, it was an eye opener.
Unfortunately, we have sold everything off for profit and don’t really make much ourselves any more. Which is why we have to import so much foreign goods.
no hairy biker or you would know how much nonsense you write; Triumph Bikes now on 82,000 a year output, and BSA, Enfield and Norton all with Engineering/Design Centers in the UK, and CCM at over 1000 units a year, as well as Herald and Ariel manufacturing too
I wholeheartedly agree with jou but thanks to labour some years ago allowed all industry to be taxed almost beyond belief and it went and we became a warehouse country. Even Bentley are made in Germany. Sadly it will take a massive change of attitude to get us back to GREAT BRITAIN not just BRITAN
Bentley are made in Crewe, Derek. Why write stuff that’s untrue?
And would people pay more for goods made here?, I doubt it. I’d prefer “Made in Germany” much better quality.
Alas there will always be some numptys who don’t notice a whopping great big cargo ship !?!?!!!
1 very lucky numpty !!!!
Say no more !!!!!
This my good people, is the maritime equivalent of electric scooter riders.
Good thing no one was hurt but should have gone to spec savers
What’s China have to do with this, no mention in story and ship was leaving UK with exports me think,oh or were those in Ribs from China and lost on way to Hong Kong? Hefty fine coming their way maybe.
Should be fined, for being an idiot. Could have ended so differently.
Well they won’t do that again in a hurry, thankfully he wasn’t injured or killed and a lesson learnt.
As the ship is high in the water it may have been taking empty containers back to China?