Ferry passenger 'jumps overboard' near Portsmouth Harbour, sparking extensive search

Royal Navy assisting in hunt

A search has been launched after a ferry passenger went overboard near Portsmouth Harbour.

Wightlink said a man was seen to jump from its ferry just outside the harbour as it travelled to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.

A mayday call reporting the incident came in at about 10.50am on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

She said the operation to find the person was “extensive”, with two lifeboats, a search and rescue helicopter, harbour patrol vessels and a Royal Navy vessel involved.

HM Coastguard has asked other vessels in the area to join the search.

A Wightlink Ferry spokesperson said: “On the 10.30am St Cecilia car ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne a passenger was seen to jump overboard, just outside Portsmouth Harbour.

“The crew of St Cecilia deployed the ship’s rescue boat and the Coastguard is now the lead authority on this matter, with a number of vessels assisting in the search.”

A witness told The News, a local newspaper, that the ferry "just stopped in the middle of the Solent".

"There was lots of commotion," they added.