Ferry collides with Newhaven pier

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The Ferry Cote D’Albatre is said to have struck the East Pier and East Quay while exiting the harbour in strong winds at about 10.30am.

The vessel suffered some damage and was returned to its berth. It was checked over and weathered the storm until about 2.30pm when it set off for France once more – having had a four and a half hour delay.

A spokesperson for the Newhaven Port Authority told this newspaper, “The ferry left this morning. Strong winds caused it to touch the east pier.

“A little bit of damage was done. We assessed the damage and made sure everything was okay. We had to wait for the weather to die down.”

They said the East Pier is closed at the moment until assessment and repairs are made on Monday.

The Newhaven to Dieppe 11pm and Dieppe to Newhaven 5.30am departures have been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions in the Channel.

Ferry company DFDS said, “We apologise for any inconvenience caused. All customers will be contacted by our call centre.”