HM Coastguard responded to an incident at the Itchen Bridge at about 8pm on 3 November, and the bridge closed in both directions while crews worked at the scene. The closure stopped traffic at the bridge entrance and kept road users away from the area.
A helicopter was seen hovering over the river, while HM Coastguard sent Coastguard Rescue Teams and lifeboats. Three incident response unit vehicles, three ambulances and a police car were stationed in a car park off Crosshouse Road.
Crosshouse Road response
A police van blocked all traffic and officers turned vehicles away at the entrance to the bridge. The response involved units on the ground and above the river at the same time, giving a clear sign that the incident was being treated as an active emergency rather than a brief interruption.
The bridge remained closed in both directions as the response continued. For drivers, that meant no access across the crossing and no way through the entrance while emergency vehicles held the area.
Hampshire Police position
Hampshire Police had not yet confirmed the nature of the incident. That left the closure in place without an official account of what had happened, or whether the response was tied to a rescue, a medical emergency or something else.
The unanswered issue is what caused the incident at the Itchen Bridge and whether anyone was injured or rescued. Until that is made clear, the only certain fact for anyone approaching the area is that the crossing stayed shut and the emergency response continued.
