Police Car Hangs Off Pier After Responding to Incident
Two officers escaped the vehicle with minor injuries after it collided with another car while en route to an indecent exposure investigation.
Passengers at the Ryde Pier ferry terminal on the Isle of Wight were startled Tuesday morning when a police car was found dangling precariously over the edge of the pier.
The incident occurred shortly before 10:10 a.m. when the Hampshire Police Volvo, responding to an urgent inquiry related to an indecent exposure incident in Newport, collided with another vehicle on the pier road. The force of the crash sent the police car through the pier's railings, leaving its front end suspended over the sea.
Miraculously, no one sustained serious injuries. The two officers inside the vehicle were able to exit with the assistance of firefighters. The car remained in its precarious position for several hours.
Emergency services, including ambulance and coastguard personnel, were dispatched to the scene. Experts were brought in to assess the structural integrity of the pier before heavy lifting equipment was used to remove the vehicle around 3 p.m. A large crowd had gathered to witness the unusual sight.
All FastCat ferry services from the terminal were suspended for approximately six hours due to the incident, resuming operations around 4:15 p.m. Operations director Gavin Marshall confirmed that essential supplies like freshwater, sewage, and power lines running along that section of the pier were undamaged.
Following the incident, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed the arrest of a 29-year-old man on suspicion of indecent exposure. He remains in police custody.
