'Drunk' woman arrested for joyriding ferry

A middle-aged woman has been arrested after taking a passenger ferry for a ride while she was drunk, according to reports.

The bizarre incident happened at 3.50am on Saturday when the 50ft Dart Princess ferry was released from her moorings and set adrift in the River Dart, police said.

The ferry, moored in Dartmouth, Devon, drifted out towards the open sea with the tide.

Several boats in the River Dart were hit by the drifting ferry causing minor damage during the alleged prank.

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Devon and Cornwall Police were unable to confirm with Yahoo! News whether the woman was inebriated state at the time of the event.

The woman, named as Alison Whelan, 51, and another male were arrested in connection with the incident, but only Whelan was charged.
 
Both the Coastguard and Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were alerted and the Torbay lifeboat was called out to assist.

The Mirror newspaper reports that the boat was found in a “volatile” couple’s hands and was eventually secured by the Torbay Lifeboat and returned to her moorings.

The local woman has been released on bail and is due to appear before South Devon Magistrates later this month for taking a vessel without consent.