Passengers rescued as ferry collides with Hythe pier

Coastguards were called at around 21:20 BST on Friday and sent rescue teams from Southampton and Lymington

Twenty passengers and three crew members have been rescued from a ferry after it collided with a pier near Southampton, coastguards have said.

The ferry struck the Hythe Pier, in Hampshire, damaging its wheelhouse, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

Coastguards were called at around 21:20 BST on Friday and sent rescue teams from Southampton and Lymington.

Three people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been notified.

Passenger Olivia Pearce said she heard somebody shouting "brace, brace" before the ferry "ploughed into the pier".

She said: "The wheelhouse completely collapsed and bits of it fell into itself. That's when we realised that actually not only had we overshot the jetty but we'd crashed into the pier and we were underneath it."

The incident involved the Hythe ferry, which runs a twice hourly shuttle service between Town Quay, in Southampton, and Hythe Pier.

Passenger Olivia Pearce said she heard somebody shouting 'brace, brace' before the ferry 'ploughed into the pier'

The vessel's wheelhouse was badly damaged in the in crash

According to the ferry's owners, White Horse Ferries, the vessel became wedged beneath the pier and the wheelhouse on top of the ferry was severely damaged.

Those treated at the scene received minor neck and back injuries.

Southampton Vessel Traffic Services, Hampshire Police, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, and South Central Ambulance Service were also involved in the rescue.