A major rescue mission took place in Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon, involving the UK Coastguard, Ministry of Defence Police, a coastguard helicopter, and independent lifeboat crews from Gosport and Fareham.
The operation began around 5.30pm after a woman was spotted struggling in the busy Solent waters near Clarence Pier, in front of an incoming vessel. Coastguards, lifeguards, and police quickly responded to the scene.
Hampshire Police cordoned off a large area from Seager Court to Broad Street and Spice Island, near the Sir Ben Ainsley racing yard, as investigations got underway.
The woman, believed to be unconscious, was pulled from the sea by the GAFIS lifeboat crew. Onboard, the crew immediately started CPR. Emergency responders were waiting at Camber Dock Lifeboat Jetty to continue lifesaving treatment.
A South Central Ambulance spokeswoman said: “A woman in her 40s was found unresponsive in the water and recovered by the Coastguard. She was treated by two ambulance crews, a paramedic team leader, and an emergency doctor before being rushed to Queen Alexandra Hospital in a life-threatening condition.”
Hovertravel clarified that the Solent Flyer hovercraft was not directly involved in the incident but confirmed its crew raised the alarm after spotting the body. A spokesperson stated: “The ground team alerted the pilot about a body in the water as part of our safety procedures. The pilot landed safely, and our service is running as usual. Emergency services have recovered the person, and police are investigating.”
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed that multiple 999 calls were received reporting the incident near the hovercraft slipway in Southsea. Rescue teams from Portsmouth Coastguard, Gosport lifeboat, Lee-on-Solent search and rescue helicopter, and MOD Police vessels responded immediately.
The woman was successfully pulled from the water and handed over to ambulance crews for urgent care. More updates will follow as the investigation continues.
Originally published by UKNIP.
