News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A boat called Titanic II lived up to her name – and sank on her maiden voyage.

Just like the doomed luxury liner 99 years ago, the 16ft cabin cruiser sprang a leak and rapidly started taking on water.

Horrified owner Mark Wilkinson was left clinging to the side as his pride and joy disappeared beneath the waves – without an iceberg in sight.

Bemused holidaymakers looked on while Mark, from Birmingham, was flung a life belt and finally dragged out of the drink by the local harbour master.

Unlike her namesake, Titanic II did not disappear for ever into the murky depths. She was later hauled up and towed out of West Bay harbour in Dorset.

Mark, who is in his 40s, admitted: “If it wasn’t for the harbour master I would have gone down with her.

“It’s all a bit embarrassing and I’m pretty fed up with people ribbing me about it.”

SHOUTED

He had recently taken ownership of the second-hand boat and towed it on a trailer to the south coast for its first outing.

He had been enjoying a successful fishing trip, but as he entered the harbour a large hole opened up in the fibre-glass hull.

Mark frantically tried to pump out the water out but was forced to abandon ship when it started to go down stern-first.

Margaret O’Callaghan, 63, from Bridport, was one of dozens of tourists on the quayside.

She said: “There was this big guy desperately trying to hold on as the boat was going down.

“I shouted at him to jump, but he was clinging on for dear life as the tide swept the boat in.”

Harbour master James Radcliffe blamed an old repair job. He said: “The hole in the hull was about six inches square.”

One seafaring local joked: “It wasn’t a very big boat – it could have been sunk by an ice-CUBE.”