Man Busted After Rowdy Rampage on Busy Red Funnel Ferry
Exclusive: A man was arrested on board a packed Red Funnel ferry this lunchtime following a chaotic scene that shook passengers and crew alike.
Chaos Erupts on Red Eagle Ferry
Police were called to East Cowes ferry port just before the midday sailing after a staff member raised the alarm. The troublemaker had turned abusive, shouting and banging around the vessel. Eyewitnesses say the man appeared drunk and aggressively confronted anyone who came near him. Some passengers even mistook him for a ferry employee amid the commotion.
Police Move In and Make Arrest
Officers arrived just before noon as the ferry prepared to sail. They quickly handcuffed the man and led him away, calming the chaos on board. Red Funnel confirmed that the arrested individual was an engineer on the 12pm East Cowes sailing. The company said they had no prior warning of the arrest and immediately launched an internal investigation involving the staff member.
Ferry Services Hit by Delays
The incident caused major knock-on effects for Red Funnel’s service today. The 12 noon ferry from East Cowes was delayed by up to 60 minutes, while the Southampton sailing ran 30 minutes late. However, the high-speed Red Jet between Southampton and West Cowes was unaffected.
A Red Funnel spokesperson said: “We very much regret the inconvenience to customers travelling via East Cowes this afternoon. Every effort will be made to make up time and restore the timetable as soon as possible.”
Police Confirm Arrest Linked to Domestic Incident
Hampshire Police released a statement confirming the arrest was related to a “domestic incident.” They also reassured the public that there is no ongoing risk but declined to share further details.
Passengers and staff can stay updated on service changes via Red Funnel’s website and Twitter @RF_Service_News.
