Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry service has ground to a halt due to a disabled passenger who is unwilling or unable to disembark at East Cowes.
The Red Falcon is currently docked at the East Cowes terminal where a passenger is still onboard, causing significant delays to the East Cowes-Southampton Service.
Red Osprey is currently floating off Cowes waiting to dock on the Island and the Red Eagle is unable to leave Southampton, causing disruption to hundreds of people.
All 3 ferries have ground to a halt.
The situation is likely to cause delays for the rest of the evening.
UPDATE @ 18:10 – Police are now in attendance at the East Cowes terminal, where the situation continues.
UPDATE @ 18:56 – Red Funnel’s service is now back underway with the vulnerable passenger removed from the vessel. There are likely to be ongoing delays.
The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has attended the incident in the interests of the person’s wellbeing.
UPDATE MONDAY – A spokesperson for Red Funnel has today said:
“We experienced a delay to our vehicle ferry service during the afternoon of November 1, due to a vulnerable passenger refusing to disembark Red Falcon following her arrival in East Cowes at 4pm.
“Although the passenger was accompanied by two carers, it was a very challenging situation for our crew, which resulted in the police attending, and subsequently, the ambulance service as a precaution.
“No passengers or crew were hurt during the incident.
“Everyone involved did everything they could to resolve the situation as safely as possible, with the passenger’s welfare at the forefront of our response.
“We are very proud of the efforts displayed by the Red Funnel crew who assisted.
“Red Falcon resumed her planned sailings at 6.10pm, around one hour and 40 minutes after her scheduled departure.
“We apologise to our other passengers who were disrupted by the delay.”
How is it possible that Red Funnel doesn’t have policies or procedures in place to deal with this kind of incident?
Chuck the selfish idiot over board so everyone else can get home
It could be the lifts are broken (again) and they have no way of getting them down.
I’ll 2nd that on osprey
A little harsh there Bob, but I am certain many a passenger after a tiring journey, wishing to get home in these dark wet Winter evenings would agree and likely such action would cause no great loss to society.
Wonderful attitude to a vulnerable person who could possibly have been terrified and out of their safe zone.
There is a lady on board and she is refusing to get off as she has visited her mother in Southampton and is upset. Captain and Red Funnel cannot get her off Carers have been called and are useless. Passengers are now phoning the police as everyone stuck for over a hour and getting no where . Sounds about right. Yes I have family on board
Well said Bob
Perhaps the ferry companies have had enough finally of covidiots come over here. Send them back….
You need know that some people fought for people like you thats why they are disabled so think before your mouth
She’s able but not willing. Its an absolute joke that one person can cause this. She may or may not have mental health issues but it can’t be impossible to help her leave.
How would you know that? Do you understand mental health or people have different episodes it changes your life a lot and people like you make them feel worse so before you say anything about mental health again go learn about it first
Because we were there, she simply refused to leave even when she was told they’d call the police – she replied “Go on then”. Of course she quickly moved when they arrived. Normally not such a problem but in these days of Covid and restrictions it was totally wrong that Red Funnel made two ferries full of people stay onboard in cramped conditions. Parents with young children/babies hadn’t prepared for such delays. It was dark, raining and so windy outside but that’s where we had to go to have a drink.
They could have sorted it in minutes by calling the police early or simply carrying on with the sailings with the lady on board. Three police units and an ambulance arrived. Precious resources.
And by the way – I work in dementia care, I know a great deal about mental health and how to speak encouragingly to people suffering.
Being specially trained in Mental Health I take it you stepped in to help out the crew who were doing the best they could in the circumstances? That way it would have been ‘over in minutes’ just like you said. Well done you.
One person holding up three ferries disgusting
Your rude if you ask me get on with your own life not snooping into others anonymously by writing these comments
Karen
Please educate yourself. I am sure her goal was not to hold up the ferries but was obviously going through something you do not understand. It clearly states she has additional needs and is vulnerable. Imagine if this was your family memeber, have some compassion and human decency.
We are currently stuck on the ferry in Southampton, we are already an hour overdue and stuck with a couple of hundred other passingers in a hot un ventilated cabin with no sign of imminent departure.. Covid bring it on.!
I do hope this is a genuine emergency and not someone trying to make a point.. Even if you had a broken back paramedics could have stretchered you off by now.
Did he break his back stirring his coffee.?
No coffee they closed the cafe
It could be a right wing bigot who wont get off because there’s foreigner on the island.
Totally pathetic.
You could be on red funnel for a month and still not be value for money
A autistic lady just been taken off by police only took 2 1/2 hours unbelievable
Excuse me? How rude
A lifetime of disability against 2 hours, really!
quite right resident – they expect to be treated as equals, therefore she should be charged with causing a public nuisance and her carers charged also – then perhaps red funnel should bill them for the additional fuel costs.
fed up with these people demanding to be treated equally, but expect to be treated differently when it suits.
‘These people’???? You do realise people with additional needs are also individual people? Also equal rights should not need to be demanded. And how do you know this lady has the capacity to understand what equal rights are? To group people together just because of a disability is wrong, I for one would not like to be held as a group of ‘they’ with you, as I would never even dream of saying something so backwards and insensitive. I really hope you educate yourself on the realities and challenges someone with special needs faces, as well as what amazing people they can be.
bella – I couldn’t care less and have no intention of wasting my time educating myself about them. They demand equality, yet expect discounts on tickets and preferential treatment. I work hard every day and expect to keep as much of my money myself, not see it taken in taxation and handed to others, that are living off the state.
Well, if he is unable to disembark, he should be given assistance. If he is unwillling to disembark, just leave him as he is, send him back to Southampton, and charge him for the extra journey. Why can’t Red Funnel sort this?
I had family on this ferry and know the whole story sat 1 metre away from this lady eventually 2 hours the police took her off as Red funnel were useless nothing over the speakers for nearly 2 hours. It was passengers who alerted the police
Surprised you saw any red funnel staff at all They usually mysteriously disappear when the ferry leaves port. Was she in a car or as a foot passenger….. why would this 1 woman stop everyone else from getting off the ferry esp if she was only a foot passenger everyone else could of got off the ferry …… Having been a sole carer for someone with a disability for 30 plus years of my life I can understand why it may have taken so long trying to get someone with a disability can be very challenging I know ive had plenty of experience
We were travelling to Southampton, why would we get off?! She’d come from Southampton on the previous crossing.
I hate this world
I am on the boat with the passenger. They have been taken off by police and we are currently on our way back to Southampton. Red funnel could have handled the situation better and I hope they learn something from this.
4 people, grab an arm and a leg each and carry them off the vessel.
A little heavy handed. No need to resort to violence like a China police squad. Weare luck enough to live on a democracy where one person is at liberty to cause distress and inconvenience to as many people and emergency services they feel inclined to. On the other hand they may be genuinely in distress.made a fine recovery once the police turned up?
How do you think police deal with people who refuse to move? Little heavy handed? My approach would be a good kick in the ribs and drag him off the ferry. Their right to remain, my right to get off. Ken, eventually this country will wake up and realize that every now and again what is needed is someone who has the balls to get stuff done.
How uneducated and rude can you be? Why would you even think that ‘a kick in the ribs’ would be the appropriate way to support someone with additional needs and is vulnerable??? The real worry is someone like you that can judge someone else so harshly with no understanding is walking round the streets. I suggest you educate yourself on the reality of someone with additional needs and not be so quick to judge. A little compassion would not go a miss. Imagine if this was your family memeber or child.
prob with a charge of assault to follow cant do that these days
Cannot understand why the boat did not carry on and just ignore the pratt
I appreciate how annoying it must be for the people waiting to get home however It would be nice if people were not so quick to judge the situation, it clearly says a disabled person so why not show some compassion as we have No real details !
no – they expect to be treated as equals – therefore they either travel as equals or stay out of everyone elses way
Shut up idiot
Absolutely disgusted by all these comments. This just shows the insensitive of some people. This young person was clearly in a lot of distress and none of us know the full story and have no right to be so judgemental. The staff and emergency service staff handle it extremely well and did everything to keep the individual safe. And as for referencing to them as “charity kept beings” they are human beings just like you and I’m sure you would to hate these things written about you or your family.
I totally agree with you
You wouldn’t be saying that if it was you on the boat, just another snowflake do gooder
Actually I was on the boat, unlike half these people commenting
another freeloading parasite that probably didn’t pay for its ticket and expects the world to revolve around it.
I suspect maybe a mentally disabled person? Some can be very powerful and it could be a very bad idea to try to force them without proper training.
Yes it was a lady with carers who were as useless as Red Funnel in the end police were called by the passengers after 2 1/2 hours. Yes I had family sat right next to the lady so know the whole story.
Hope your family were practicing safe social distancing etc? They may need to isolate for 2wks now… oh!
That’ll be 5wks now then!!
should have just left her on the boat with carers and carried on the service around her – eventually she will have become hungry and had two choices – get off the boat and eat or starve to death onboard – pretty simply choice.
Was it one of those nutters from last weeks hijacking ???
Pathetic
Human kindness seems a little absent for someone in distress. So everyone’s returning, so? wheres ya bin? and what are you returning to and with what? In a hurry to get locked down no doubt, Surely a little understanding for distress is a small price to ask.
no – another self centered idiot that thinks the world revolves around it.
i would like to start by apologising that so many people got delayed last night on the ferry. i dont normally coment on any sites but after reading some of the coments i felt so awful, i know humans can be disgusting but hoped we had moved on a little compared to the seventies! as a family we have always been part of my daughters life and always will no matter what part of the country she is sent to live. we tried for so many years to keep our little girl at home and it became to hard especialy when we all have to work. my daughter is a lovely person and has missed us all so much espesially since she was moved to the island as there is nowhere local to us here on the mainland.i the father dropped my daughter to the terminal to meet her carers and go back to her care home, my little girl (young lady) got distressed as she was worried about getting locked down and not being able to come home for her birthday. this has been a long year for all of us but most of us adults can cope, unfortunatly my sweet girl cant and she cant explain things she just didnt want to get stuck on the island and not come home, my daughter had no choice about her condition and was born to us so we could care for her as best we can. i hope none of you have to go through what we have as a family and i hope your children are all perfect , however when they are not perfect as most of you are! believe me you would do anything for your son or daughter. please be a little more thoughtful when making your comments as a family and a father it hurts a lot that we are not more understanding, we all need help sometimes ,young and old. once again i am sorry you lost some time yesterday but my lovely daughter has lost a lot more than you ever will. thank you to the few people that did actually think before making comments.
you might care about her, but she is not everyone elses problem. Everyone else has their own lives, their own problems and their own timelines to meet.
it is survival of the fittest and strongest in this world and as lockdown is looming again and more people are losing their jobs, they will have little patience for someone elses kid that is disrupting their day.
It breaks my heart to read a lot of these comments, how insensitive can you be? Yes I understand that people were delayed and money ect but this is a human being we are talking about and also someone’s family member. How would you feel reading these comments if they were your family member or your child? It clearly states she has additional needs and is vulnerable. People using ‘they go on about wanting to be equal’ as a way of arguing is so wrong- firstly surely everyone deserves to be equal and also how do you know this lady has the capacity to understand that? People with addition needs that display challenging behaviour are not being ‘naughty’ or ‘selfish’ but may actually be in extreme distress. I have worked with individuals with special needs for 7+ years and I suggest anyone with a nasty comment does some research. If you actually knew someone with additional needs yourself I assure you these horrible things you are saying would be a lot harder as you would understand and also see how amazing these people are. Yes with Covid I understand everyone is stressed and it is not good that everyone had to stay on the ferry but please show some compassion an humanity and educate yourself.
bella – who cares about your work history – people are losing their jobs all the time and have little patience for someone disrupting their day, who, by rights should not be on the boat, if the carers couldn’t be 100% certain she would board, travel and disembark without a fuss.
Also I have never commented on a news article before and have seen that my comment is waiting to be approved. So how on earth have some of these horrible comments been approved for posting? Disgusting.
I was the captain of this boat and I have a degree in mental health issues and I’m a Christian – take it from me she was very naughty and I told her so. Didn’t seem to do the trick though. She was a bit smelly too.
Really ! Captain ! As her father I can tell you she took a bath at mine before her travel home to the island. Unbelievable disgusting comment.
Care in the Seafaring Community. Can we not reopen the pompously entitled ‘Gatcombe Manor’? My, Harris. It’s Whitecroft. The smelly bit was disgusting. No need.
Well maybe they need to have security on bored again