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Seals spark huge channel rescue operation

Posted by editor on Mar 04, 2006 - 08:32 AM
Filed under: Articles, News

SEALS SPARK HUGE CHANNEL RESCUE OPERATION

A ferry passenger who mistook a pair of seals for passengers overboard sparked a huge rescue operation in the English Channel yesterday (3 March).

The drama off Dover involved, two lifeboats, a coastguard vessel, four cross-Channel ferries, and an air-sea rescue helicopter.

They searched for almost two hours before a head count on the P&O ferry, Pride of Calais, revealed that no one was missing.

The passenger raised the alarm after she thought she saw at least two people in the sea. Fellow passengers threw life jackets into the water.

Ferry crossings at the channel ports were delayed by two hours.