A cruise ship has been forced to delay its departure after shipping containers carrying bananas fell overboard from a cargo ship off the Isle of Wight.

The P&O Cruises ship Iona was set to leave Southampton on Saturday evening for a two-week trip to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, but has been stuck in port after the incident near the Nab tower lighthouse off Bembridge just before its departure.

A Maritime Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: "HM Coastguard was informed that, at around 1800 yesterday (6 December), 18 containers went overboard from a cargo ship, near the Nab Tower in the Solent.

"No crew members were injured and the containers are carrying non-hazardous cargo.

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