Man in ferry shaft accident loses hand

A cross-Channel ferry passenger missing for 18 hours was stable in hospital last night following an operation to amputate his right hand after he was found at the bottom of a 50ft ventilation shaft on the ship.

An air rescue search was launched on Saturday night after Simon Ashby, 25, from Canterbury, Kent, disappeared on the Stena-Sealink ferry Fiesta en route from Calais to Dover. He was found at midday yesterday by engineers alerted to a jammed fan in the shaft.

Police plan to question Mr Ashby to find out how he got into the shaft, which the ferry company says is sealed.