Lifeboat searches fog-bound harbour and Solent after car ferry collision

The lifeboat launched at 7 am when the fog in the harbour was down to less than 50 metres. It was apparent that the ship had gone through the moorings of a catamaran and several Daring Class yachts, sending several of the Darings adrift.

Two were recovered just outside the harbour, one by a Cowes Harbour launch and the other by the lifeboat. The lifeboat also went on to find that a 30-foot catamaran had been pushed from its mooring on to another Daring, which ended up hard against the catamaran’s stern.

Also left at an angle was the post indicating the small vessel channel.

All the craft were towed into Shepards Marina, to be inspected for damage. The lifeboat had been away from station for about two hours.

The catamaran is owned by the Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Cowes, the Rev Andrew Poppe, who is also the lifeboat station's padre. He has been informed of the mishap.

Calshot lifeboat was also launched, to carry out a search of the Bramble Bank area, which proved to be fruitless.

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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