Traffic Chaos In East Cowes As Ferry Crash Brings Red Funnel To A Standstill

Credit: Kimberley Violet

NOTE: LATEST UPDATES AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE.

Travel chaos has gripped East Cowes after a lorry crash on the vehicle deck of a Red Funnel ferry forced the company to cancel sailings until further notice.

The incident, which occurred at around 8.45am today (Thursday), has left hundreds of passengers stranded on both sides of the Solent with no clear indication of when services will resume.

A spokesperson for Red Funnel, said:

“An incident occurred this morning involving two vehicles on board Red Eagle, in East Cowes, which means that Red Eagle must remain alongside whilst we await specialist expertise.

"As a result, we have had to initiate a full suspension of our vehicle ferry service.

“Customers are being kept updated with revised sailing times and we apologise for the inconvenience caused, which is beyond our control.

"We are working hard to resolve the situation and will provide the next update by 1030.”

An Isle of Wight Radio listener, who was due to head across to Southampton for surgery before the crash occurred, has urged travellers to phone ahead before making their way to the terminal.

The suspension of services quickly led to gridlock in East Cowes.

The ferry car park and surrounding roads have subsequently become packed as cars, vans, and lorries queue with no way forward.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as “rammed” and “absolute bedlam.”

One stranded passenger said:

“Everyone’s stuck in East Cowes with no idea when the next sailing might be.

"Nobody seems to know how long it will take to clear the ferry.”

Details of the crash have not yet been confirmed, but it is understood that a lorry collided on the vehicle deck, leaving the vessel unable to sail.

Emergency crews are believed to be assisting with recovery efforts.

The disruption comes at a critical time, with many commuters, delivery drivers, and tourists relying on the Red Funnel link between the Isle of Wight and Southampton.

We have contacted Grayling on behalf of Red Funnel for an update.

UPDATE 10.51am:

A Red Funnel spokesperson said:

“Thanks to the swift action of our team, we are pleased to confirm that the two vehicles have been safely removed from Red Eagle and our vehicle ferry service has resumed in full.

"We are communicating directly with customers and would like to thank passengers for their patience while we resolved the incident.”