Portsmouth News

Three injured after yacht crashes into three jet skis

‘Someone could have been killed’ after Superyacht crash in Solent

- By STEVE DEEKS

A CRASH involving a superyacht ‘could have killed someone’ after the vessel ploughed into three parked jet skis in the Solent leaving three people injured.

One of the victims was rushed to hospital after suffering seven cracked ribs and fluid on the lung while another man was ‘thrown into the air’ with his jet ski ‘ripped in half ’ during the incident.

The incident by No Man’s Land Fort at around 10.30am on September 6 sparked a frantic rescue operation by Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (Gafirs) before the riders were brought ashore at Camber Quay, East Street.

No arrests have yet been made, authoritie­s have said.

A jet skier told The News the superyacht captain needs to be brought to justice after the ‘disgusting’ act.

‘This person needs to be named and shamed and brought before court,’ they said. ‘You shouldn’t be in charge of a boat like that if you are so irresponsi­ble.

‘To go and hit three jet skiers is disgusting. I’m surprised no-one was killed.’

Describing the chaos, the mariner said: ‘There were three parked jet skis parked up chatting and the next thing there is suddenly a superyacht that goes straight through the middle of them.

‘It left one rider with seven broken ribs and another man was thrown 6ft in the air with a brand new jet ski broken in half.

‘For the captain to then turn around and say they “shouldn’t have got in the way” is arrogant and bang out of order.’

Clashes between jet skiers and yacht owners are regular occurrence­s, it was claimed.

‘We know jet skiers are the most hated people on the sea but this person has taken it one step too far,’ the source said.

‘There are some jet skiers who give us a bad name but most of us are not like we are portrayed and behave respectful­ly.’

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed there was an incident involving a vessel and jet ski at the location.

‘They were tasked to this incident which involved a reported collision between a vessel and jet ski,’ a spokesman said.

‘We are not – as it stands – looking into this incident from an investigat­ions standpoint.’

Meanwhile the Queen’s Harbour Master, which is responsibl­e for safety in the water where the collision happened, said its investigat­ion was still ongoing.

A spokesman said: ‘There was an incident involving a motorboat and three personal water crafts which we are looking into after receiving a report.

‘Our ongoing.’ investigat­ion is

South Central Ambulance Service said it was contacted by the Coastguard to attend an injured person being brought ashore on a lifeboat vessel.

‘We sent a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance to meet the crew and having transferre­d the patient into the ambulance they were then taken to the Queen Alexandra Hospital for further treatment,’ a spokesman said.

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