A 61-year-old man who was arrested by detectives investigating the loss of three lives from the yacht Ouzo in August was released on bail yesterday evening.

The Senior Officer on the P&O ferry the Pride of Bilbao, was arrested yesterday morning (20 September) at a police station in Hampshire by officers from the Constabulary’s Major Crime Department, on suspicion of causing manslaughter through gross negligence.

In a press statement the Hampshire Police confirmed that the Officer was questioned throughout the day and released on bail yesterday evening pending further inquiries.

The bodies of James Meaby, 36, Jason Downer, 35, and Rupert Saunders, 36, were found on 23-24 August after their yacht left Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, on Sunday, 20 August, to sail to Devon for the Dartmouth Regatta. The Ouzo is yet to be recovered.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) refused to comment and confirmed that they had not issued any further press statements on the ongoing case.