Passengers evacuated from Isle of Wight ferry in Portsmouth after smoke fumes filled lounge

Multiple emergency services were scrambled to the Wightlink ferry terminal in Portsmouth Harbour yesterday afternoon. The St Faith vessel ran into problems and her crew alerted emergency personnel. A spokeswoman for HM Coastguard said: “HM Coastguard responded to a report of a fire onboard a passenger ferry in Portsmouth Harbour entrance yesterday – January 7 – at approximately 3.30pm.

NOW READ: Traffic chaos as Eastern Road remains shut

"Portsmouth and Hillhead coastguard rescue teams, Gosport independent lifeboat, Hampshire Police, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, and South-Central Ambulance Service were sent. All passengers were safely evacuated.”

Wightlink confirmed St Faith, carrying out the 3pm service from Fishbourne, had to be put out of service when she arrived at the Portsmouth terminal at 3.40pm. A spokeswoman said there was no fire aboard ship, but smoke in the passenger lounge led to the distress call. She added that no-one was hurt during the incident, and the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route had to operate as a one-boat service.

The spokeswoman said Wightlink apologised to its customers for any inconvenience caused and said they were rebooked to sail on Victoria of Wight. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “Fire crews were called to attend a suspected fire following reports of a smell of smoke in the passenger lounge of a Wightlink ferry on Sunday, January 7, at around 3.30pm. Following investigation by firefighters it was found to be a false alarm with the smell of smoke being attributed to fumes from an electrical light.”