Red Funnel ferry helps rescue sailors from capsized dinghy

Three sailors were successfully rescued from the Solent on Saturday afternoon

The Red Funnel ferry helped to rescue three sailors from the Solent on Saturday lunchtime after an upturned dinghy was spotted in the water.

Crews on board the vehicle ferry Red Eagle noticed the capsized boat at around 12.20pm during its passage from Southampton to East Cowes.

The ferry stopped to help the sailors, launching their rescue vessel to the scene, which was joined

shortly after by ABP’s Southampton Patrol launch and the Hamble lifeboat.

During the rescue operation, the Red Funnel’s rescue boat picked up one sailor from the upturned

hull and transferred them to the Southampton Patrol Boat, before returning to the scene to rescue the other two sailors and take them ashore.

Ambulance crews were waiting to check over the sailors and found them to be cold, but uninjured, with the capsized dinghy later recovered by the Hamble lifeboat.

In a statement, Red Funnel said: “The company would like to publically thank the master and his

crew who acted swiftly and professionally. They are highly trained and regularly practise man over board drills so are well placed to assist in such incidents.

“The Red Funnel would also like to pass on its best wishes to the three sailors who were rescued.”