Two friends died after their pleasure boat, named 'Peaky Blinder', collided with a harbor beacon in Portsmouth Harbor on August 14, 2025. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report found that the vessel was traveling at 39 mph into the beacon, more than three times the speed limit, and had a top speed of 57 mph within the harbor, which has a limit of 11.5 mph. The boat's owner and driver, William Blake, 61, and his 60-year-old friend Gary Huntingdon, were thrown into the water by the impact. Neither man was wearing a life jacket.
The MAIB investigation revealed that alcohol consumption was central to the day's activities for the three friends aboard. They consumed sparkling wine before boarding, approximately 10 cans of beer and cider at a hotel, and had two rounds of drinks at a restaurant. Blake, who was driving, also drank an additional pint-and-a-half of beer, which the report stated made him "noticeably unsteady on his feet" and had the "potential to substantially impair his judgement, reaction time and decision making." A third, unnamed 56-year-old passenger survived the incident.
The collision occurred shortly after Blake realized they were on the wrong side of the channel and initiated a sudden turn. Approximately four seconds later, the boat struck the stationary beacon. The surviving passenger described seeing Blake sink and was unable to locate him. He then attempted to assist Huntingdon, who was unconscious, before emergency services arrived about 20 minutes after the crash.
Huntingdon was airlifted to a hospital but was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts. Blake's body was recovered five days later; a post-mortem examination determined his cause of death to be drowning and head injury. The report highlighted a "longstanding regulatory gap" regarding enforceable alcohol limits for recreational boaters, a recommendation that the MAIB has made previously.
Rob Loder, chief inspector of marine accidents, expressed hope that action would now be taken to prevent future fatal accidents where excessive alcohol consumption is a contributing factor. Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of the British Ports Association, criticized the delay in implementing powers to address the lack of alcohol limits, noting that Parliament had provided the authority in 2003. He urged the government to accept the MAIB's recommendations and provide a clear timeline for their implementation, stating that the evidence has been under review for too long and another fatal accident should not be awaited before closing this loophole.