Narrowboat sinks in Thames

A NARROWBOAT sank in the Thames, with the five people on board not wearing life jackets on the dangerous tidal river,  being saved by the very quick action of the emergency services.

The boat, Mini Moo, started to sink as it approached Canary Wharf, with the lady owner sending out a distress call as the boat quickly took on water, Alan Tilbury tells us.

In the water

A boat manned by the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit arrived within two minutes, in time to rescue three of the five people and a dog out of the water, with a further crew on a London RIB Experience boat rescuing the remaining two people, just before the boat sank completely.

The people were suffering from shock from the cold water, and taken to hospital as a precaution, but later discharged.  The dog too was unhurt.

Easily have drowned

A Metropolitan Police spokesman reported that the narrowboat sank completely within minutes of it starting to take on water, and that the five people could easily have drowned being dragged under by shoes and clothing, as they were not wearing life jackets.

It was pointed out that the Thames is a dangerous river especially in mid-flow where the tidal stream can carry a person away below the surface in seconds.