Drunk at work: Richard Pease, 50, of Cowes, Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to being a master of a hovercraft having consumed excess alcohol A hovercraft pilot was today facing the sack after admitting to being nearly three times over the drink-drive limit while in charge of a vessel carrying 36 people. Richard Pease, 50, of Cowes, Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty to being a master of a hovercraft having consumed excess alcohol. The experienced pilot was responsible for driving the vessel during a five-mile journey across the Solent from Portsmouth to Ryde on June 22. But a colleague had to step in and take over the controls when Pease fell ill at the controls of the 127-seater Hovertravel Freedom 90 vehicle.
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Experienced pilot Richard Pease, 50, was driving vessel with 36 people
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Was responsible for operating five-mile journey from Portsmouth to Ryde
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But colleague took over controls when Pease fell ill at vehicle's controls
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Tests revealed he had 96 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath
@placeholder provides the fastest way to cross the Solent with a journey time of less than ten minutes.