A SOUTHAMPTON sea swimmer had a close encounter with a 200,000 tonne cargo ship before narrowly escaping yesterday.
Onlookers saw the moment the man was caught out in the main shipping channel on Sunday, March 6, with the 400 metre-long Al-Zubara setting sail from the port.
College student Eden East, 18, who was onboard the Red Funnel ferry, said the man was with two friends – who were on another dinghy – and could not start the engine of his boat when the ship came towards him.
Mr East said: “We were just coming in and saw a massive container ship coming towards us.
“We could see this one boat out there and I thought to myself ‘he’s a bit brave’.
“He obviously didn’t see it coming.
“Once he did see it you could see him start panicking and trying to start the engine on his dinghy – but it wouldn’t start so just jumped in.
“I’m not sure how he made it. His boat got sucked under and was thrown up on the other side.
“I was really scared for this guy, I felt sick.”
Mr East said the man’s two friends, who escaped in the other dinghy, retrieved him from the water.
The Red Funnel ferry had to stop and carry out a man-overboard procedure.
