Kegworth Deep claims another victim

ANOTHER hirer sank his narrowboat when descending Kegworth Deep Lock on the Soar not realising the boat's stern was caught on the cill, with the crew not knowing what to do.

This time it was a Wyvern Shipping hire boat, and it is reported that it took eight hours to rescue the boat from the lock, that has been renamed Kegworth New Lock, so not to scare new users, Pam Pickett tells us.

Not aware

As most boaters realise, immediately closing the bottom paddles once a boat is caught on the cill prevents it sinking, but the crew was obviously not aware of this simple procedure, so as the water drained from the lock, the boat sank. (Picture Jerry Parker.)

The hire boat was eventually pumped out by hoses through the windows, until it again floated with the lock being slowly filled.

A woman member of the crew injured herself climbing out of the lock and had to be treated by paramedics who had been called.

Not swamped

A spokesman from Wyvern Shipping told that the cost of recovery was £1,000, but with the lock being so deep and the boat at a steep angle, the boat was not swamped and the hirers were able to carry on with their journey of the Leicester Ring.

According to our records this is the third boat reported sunk in Kegworth Deep.