Drama on the Solent Wheel: Passengers Rescued After Being Stranded
Emergency crews sprang into action this morning after a 60-year-old woman and a 6-year-old boy got stuck on the Solent Wheel at Southsea’s Clarence Pier.
Wheel Breaks Down, Passengers Left Dangling
The giant Ferris wheel ground to a halt just after 11:30am, leaving the pair stranded high above the ground. Firefighters rushed to the scene, bringing an aerial ladder platform to reach the trapped riders safely.
St Mary’s and Local Crews Lead Rescue Effort
- RSV Rescue Support unit
- Aerial ladder platform from St Mary’s
- Additional support from Cosham and Southsea fire crews
The area around Clarence Pier was quickly cordoned off as a crowd gathered to watch the tense stand-off.
Quick Thinking Saves the Day
Crew Manager Richard Furse said, “Luckily where the cart was positioned, we were able to get the aerial ladder platform up to it quite easily. We had lots of resources turn up initially due to it being a rescue from height but once we realised what we were dealing with, we managed to send a lot of them back.”
Thankfully, no-one was hurt in the ordeal, and the Solent Wheel has since reopened after the fault was fixed.
