Two rescued as container ship was 'bearing down'
Apparently they wanted to get to the Isle of Wight
Two men have been rescued after their inflatable kayak was found in the middle of the Solent's busy shipping lane.
Hampshire Marine Police say a container ship was 'bearing down' on them yesterday evening (19 July 2021).
They apparently told officers they wanted to make it to the Isle of Wight.
In a statement, Hampshire Police said: "We were called at around 6.30pm yesterday to reports of two intoxicated men who were believed to be acting aggressively in an inflatable kayak in the Solent, two miles south of Stokes Bay.
"We sent our marine unit to the scene and convinced the two men to get on board.
"Safeguarding advice was given and we dropped them back on land, at Stokes Bay, at around 7pm. "
Police Sergeant Matthew Gransden of the Hampshire Police Marine Support Unit said: “These two men had managed to end up in the middle of a shipping lane, with a container ship from Southampton about ten minutes away from them.
“Thankfully, we managed to get them safely to shore but it could quite easily have had a different outcome.
“This incident highlights the very real dangers of drinking alcohol and going out on the water, particularly in inflatable craft which are much more susceptible to the wind.
“We reminded the two individuals involved of how strong the tides in the Solent are and how quickly they can change, even if the water appears to be calm.
“These men also had no safety equipment on board their kayak. I would urge members of the public to always make sure they are properly equipped when at sea, and for further safety advice to visit the RNLI website.”
The hot weather has led to a steep increase in antisocial behaviour calls to police.
To mark Antisocial Behaviour Awareness Week, the marine unit will be out on patrol as part of Operation Wavebreaker, a multi-agency response to antisocial behaviour in the water.
Please report any ongoing incidents via 101.