Ferry loses liferafts

TWO Hoverspeed Superseacat life rafts were towed in to Newhaven by a fishing boat after they were lost overboard in driving wind and rain.

The fast-ferry was sailing on the Newhaven/Dieppe route on Monday evening when a canister carrying two rafts fell into the sea.

Each raft, which can carry up to 50 people in the event of an emergency, inflated on hitting the water.

Hoverspeed route manager Nick Stevens said: 'In bad weather we lost a life raft canister. One of the straps holding it broke.'

But despite losing the rafts the ferry was still sufficiently equipped and passengers were not put at risk, he added. 'We carry enough life rafts for 860 passengers, far in excess of the 700 people we usually carry.'

A fishing boat was launched on Tuesday to tow the rafts into Newhaven harbour after they were spotted drifting eight miles out to sea.