Jet-skier shouted ‘Oh no!’ before crashing into Red Jet ferry

Laura Hodgetts

‘Oh no!’ What the jet-skier said just before hitting the Red Jet ferry, reveals the man who captured the moment on camera

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Richard Bache was on the midday Red Funnel car ferry from Southampton, taking photos, when he witnessed a jet-ski rider crash into the side of Red Jet 4.

Quite how the rider of the jet-ski didn’t see the noisy 39m, 42-tonne catamaran ferry is unclear.

Richard’s dramatic photos captured the collision, around midday on Saturday 5 November.

‘Just before the impact, I heard him say “Oh no!”, then the bang’, Richard, who lives in Shanklin, told OnTheWight.

Richard was on deck on the Red Osprey heading back to the island, on the lovely sunny day.

Knowing the Red Jet 4 was due to pass the car ferry, keen photographer Richard was poised to take photos, when he heard a jet-ski buzzing around.

Red Jet ferry in collision with jet-ski. Credit: Richard Bache

Moments before the crash. Credit: Richard Bache

‘They were riding around the back of the boat and appeared to be showing off to the people out on deck of the car ferry,’ he told OnTheWight.

‘The jet-skis are so quick. We couldn’t believe we were watching it happen. People on deck were saying, “He’s going to hit it”.

‘I commuted on the Red Jet for 14 years and have never heard of anything like this.’

Richard said that after the impact, the Red Jet turned around to ‘have a word’ with the rider, who was picked up by the Red Jet crew and taken ashore.

He estimated that the jet-ski rider was in the water for about five minutes.

Marine Police unit been in touch

The Hampshire Constabulary’s Marine Police unit has since been in touch with Richard. The area where the crash took place, by Fawley, is controlled by the Harbour Master and they’re looking at a possible prosecution, Richard told OnTheWight.

No one was injured

A spokesperson for Red Funnel told OnTheWight:

‘Red Funnel Ferries can confirm that a jet-ski made contact with the side of a Red Jet in Southampton Water near Calshot on Saturday 5 November. The Red Jet was the 12.15 departure from Southampton to West Cowes with 45 passengers onboard.

‘No one was injured in the incident and the jet-ski rider was picked up by the Red Jet crew and taken ashore. No damage was sustained to the Red Jet and the jet-ski was later recovered.

‘The cause of the incident will be investigated and the relevant authorities have been informed.’

Article published courtesy of www.onthewight.com where more photos of the incident can be found.

Photographs copyright of Richard Bache.