THE grateful crew of the stricken transporter ship stranded in the Solent have thanked life boat crews who saved their lives.

Their words of gratitude come as the huge rescue operation to save the Hoegh Osaka which ran aground on Bramble Bank in East Cowes.

Some of the 25 crew of the Singapore registered vessel are being cared for the Mission to Seafarers hostel based in the Southampton Seafarers Centre in Queens Terrace.

Today management there told the Daily Echo how the men were cold and shaken by their ordeal but thankful to brave crews who saved them.

The charity launched an immediate emergency action plan when they heard of their plight.

Staff from the centre met the men at UK Coastguards HMS Daeleus centre at 11pm before inviting them to their hostel in Queens terrace to clothe and feed them.

From there the men went to a nearby hotel to stay the night.

Centre manager Steven Hulbert said: "They were saying thank you to everyone who had helped them and were just really glad to be out of the water.

"They were all walking but needed shoes and clothes after being in the water.

"We gave them food and clothing."

Daily Echo:

RNLI crew Tom Pedersen, Mike Croxson and Andy Headley

The charity called on its volunteers - some who are students - who arrived to help out while some multi lingual members of staff conversed with the men who spoke a range of languages including Hindi.

He added: "We have an action plan for this sort of thing and our guys came down straight away "They came at the drop of a hat and did what they could do."

Chaplain John Attenborough said: "We are doing a lot to care for the crew.

"On going care is everybody's priority in this situation."

The charity supports seafarers and provides a home away from home for them.

See centre forbearance.org or contact 02380 333106.