Friends on speeding 'Peaky Blinder' pleasure boat had been drinking all day before they hit harbour beacon and were thrown into water to their deaths, report finds

Published: 16:54, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 16:59, 15 July 2026 The friends aboard the pleasure boat named Peaky Blinder spent the day drinking before they were hurled from the vessel to their deaths at more than three times the speed limit, a report found.  William Blake, 61, and his 60-year-old friend Gary Huntingdon died when the RIB hit a stationary harbour beacon in Portsmouth Harbour on August 14, 2025. Another 56-year-old passenger and friend, who has not been named, survived the crash, which took place at 7.25pm.  The men were thrown into the water by the impact of the crash, with the boat travelling at 39mph into the beacon, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said. None of them were wearing life jackets. The Peaky Blinder was driven at up to 57mph in the harbour, it was found, almost five times the speed limit of 11.5mph. The friends were returning from a trip around several locations in the Solent and Isle of Wight area when the accident happened. They spent around five hours on the water during the course of the day. Investigators found 'alcohol consumption featured centrally throughout the day'. The men drank a glass of sparkling wine before boarding the boat, around 10 cans of beer and cider between them at a hotel, as well as two rounds of drinks at a restaurant. Mr Blake, who was driving and owned the boat, drank another pint-and-a-half, making him 'noticeably unsteady on his feet'.  William Blake, 61, was the owner and driver of the boat Peaky Blinder, which collided with a beacon in Portsmouth Harbour on August 14, 2025 The men aboard the pleasure boat Peaky Blinder spent the day drinking before they were hurled from the vessel to their deaths when it crashed at more than three times the speed limit He was found to have 'a significant alcohol concentration' in his blood, which had the 'potential to substantially impair his judgement, reaction time and decision making'.  The boat collided with the beacon after Mr Blake realised they were travelling on the wrong side of the channel, causing him to 'immediately' turn the boat.  Around four seconds later, they rammed into the navigational beacon and were flung overboard from the force of the collision. The surviving passenger saw Mr Blake sink underwater and was not able to find him after diving below the surface.  He then swam to Mr Huntingdon, who was floating unconscious, and pulled him towards the boat. Failing to lift him, he held his friend alongside the boat. Emergency services rushed to the scene around 20 minutes after the crash. They pulled Mr Huntingdon out of the water and attempted to resuscitate him. He was airlifted to hospital from the scene and, despite medical efforts, was pronounced dead.  Mr Blake's body was found five days after the crash. His cause of death was given as drowning and a head injury, following a post-mortem examination. Gary Huntingdon, who was a passenger, was airlifted to hospital from the scene. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead There are no enforceable alcohol limits for those driving a boat recreationally, which the MAIB report described as a 'longstanding regulatory gap'.  It made a series of safety recommendations, including that the Secretary of State for Transport introduces such limits. Rob Loder, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: 'It is well understood that consumption of alcohol results in an elevated risk of having an accident. 'The introduction of alcohol limits for recreational boaters has been the subject of previous MAIB recommendations. 'It is to be hoped that action will now be taken, such that fatal accidents in which excessive alcohol consumption is a contributing factor become a thing of the past.' Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of industry body the British Ports Association, said Parliament provided the powers to address the lack of an alcohol limit in 2003. He went on: '23 years later, the relevant provisions have still not been brought into force, despite repeated warnings from ports, harbour masters and safety investigators. 'The Government should accept the MAIB's recommendations and publish a clear timetable for implementing them. 'The evidence has been under review for long enough. We should not wait for another fatal accident before closing a loophole that should never have remained open.' The Department for Transport was approached for a comment.