Man Arrested After Shocking Lunchtime Chaos on Red Funnel Ferry
Exclusive: A man was arrested aboard the busy Red Funnel ferry during the lunchtime sailing in East Cowes today. Police scrambled to the scene after a staff member raised the alarm about an abusive and aggressive passenger.
Fury on the Red Eagle Ferry
The drama unfolded just before midday as the Red Eagle ferry prepared to set sail. A witness told us there was loud shouting and banging on board. The man, believed to be intoxicated, became aggressive and hostile towards both staff and other passengers.
“He was shouting and causing a scene. Some thought he was a Red Funnel employee,” said one passenger. Officers arrived promptly, handcuffed the man, and led him away just before the ferry departed.
Red Funnel Delays and Investigation Underway
Red Funnel confirmed an engineer on the 12:00pm East Cowes sailing was arrested with no prior notice to the company. This incident caused a 60-minute delay for the East Cowes sailing and a 30-minute knock-on delay for the Southampton departure.
A spokesperson said: “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused. We are conducting an internal investigation involving our staff member.” They added that the high-speed Red Jet service remained unaffected.
Police Statement and Public Safety
Hampshire Police revealed the arrest relates to a “domestic incident” and assured the public there is no ongoing risk. However, they declined to share further details.
Red Funnel urged customers to check service updates via their website and Twitter for the latest sailings information.
