Two die in ferry disaster

Two elderly people have died after leaping from a passenger ferry into toxic waters.

The man and woman, both in their 80s, jumped from the Sandbanks ferry as it collided with a cargo vessel in Poole Harbour at 9.10am.

The collision caused a major spillage of a dangerous chemical, Lindane, which came from a lorry on the cargo vessel, L Taurus.

A spokesman for the Coastguard said: “It appears that they have not died as a result of drowning.” It is feared the chemical may have caused the deaths.

The bodies were found half a mile from the collision by a Danish lifeboat crew who were on their way to the headquarters in Poole.

Torben Lee, a pollution consultant from the Environment agency, said the chemical has killed everything it has come into contact with so far and said: “We are concerned about contamination to humans.”

Over 70 people have been taken to hospital and everyone else that jumped into the water has been recovered safely.

The people from the water have been hosed down and so far the only injuries suffered have been cuts and bruises.

A 48-hour exclusion zone along the beach from Sandbanks to Bournemouth Pier has been put in place.

Bridget Verdon, who runs Torbay Seaways, said: “People panicked when they saw the vessel coming towards the ferry so they jumped into the water.”

The Environment Agency has installed chemical boons in order to contain the spillage.

A spokesman for the Coastguard said: “The chemical is already starting to dissipate and we hope it can be removed within 48 hours.”