Kitten escaped car on ferry and jumped into the sea

NEWS AND VIEWS - THE SOLENT, UK: The Red Funnel ferry runs between Southampton and the Isle of Wight as I understand it. On that ferry there was a kitten inside a car and he or she managed to escape the vehicle and then proceeded to jump off the ferry into the sea. Comment: I suspect that the kitten's owner left one of the car's windows slightly ajar to ensure that air got into the car in the interests of cat welfare but it backfired.

 Kitten escaped car on ferry and jumped into the sea. Launching rescue boat. Image: Danny Grist.

Witnesses saw the kitten jump which happened at about 5:30 on 19 July 2021. They alerted the crew who in turn alerted the captain and who in turn issued orders to recover the kitten if possible. A rescue boat was launched from the side of the ferry and two members of the crew frantically searched for the kitten and through a stroke of good fortune located him or her. The cat was brought back on board and the ferry proceeded to its destination.

Comment: it's the first time I have heard of a cat jumping into the sea from a ferry. I guess the moral of the story is to leave your cat or kitten in a carrier inside the car while you are on the ferry. Then you can leave the window ajar slightly to allow fresh air to come into the vehicle. And keep the vehicle cooler. I think the kitten and the owner were incredibly lucky because the chances of finding a kitten in The Solent must have been remote.