Ferry Evacuated After Fire in the Solent

St Faith. File photo: GrahamAndDairne/Flickr

All passengers are safe after a fire broke out in the bridge wing of a car and passenger ferry operating in the Solent between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth.

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency says it was notified at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday that a fire had broken out on the Wightlink ferry St Faith while en route from Portsmouth to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.

The vessel continued to the ferry terminal in Fishbourne where a fire fighting crews were able to extinguished the fire. All 65 passengers who were on board the ferry were evacuated and all are reported safe.

Later in the day the ferry was moved back to the Portsmouth without passengers.

Photos posted online shows flames coming from the port side bridge. You can see some of the aftermath below: 

The St. Faith is operated by Wightlink. The trip between Portsmouth and Fishbourne takes about 45 minutes, according to the company’s website.