Officers seriously injured in police boat crash were responding to ‘person in water’

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A Metropolitan Police boat from the force’s Marine Policing Unit, which was carrying armed officers, crashed into Westminster Bridge on the River Thames at around 3.40pm on Friday, the Met said.

Officers were responding to a report of a person in the water near Battersea, south-west London, when their boat hit the bridge, throwing three of them into the water, the Met said.

Boats nearby rescued the officers and they were treated at the scene before going to hospital, where four remain with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

One officer has been discharged from hospital.

No members of the public were injured in the incident, the force added

Members of the public reported hearing “an explosion” when the boat struck the bridge, adding it was travelling at “high speed” and seemed to be in pursuit of something further up the river.

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Jim Bagley, who was visiting the capital from Gloucester, Massachusetts, said: “We were standing in line to get onto the city cruise hop on, hop off tours, and we saw two police boats coming up the river.

“One was an orange boat that went under the bridge and left a great big wave, and then there was a black boat that came up behind it, the police boat.

“It looks to me that he got stuck in the wake of the other boat that had just passed through the bridge and slammed into the wall on the opposite side.

“We didn’t see it happen, but we heard the explosion… the next thing we saw was three people in the water, coming down the river.”

Met Police Commander Nick John said: “Our thoughts are with all those involved, in particular our officers who were injured and those who responded in challenging circumstances.

“The four officers who remain in hospital have serious but non-life-threatening injuries. We will give them all every support as they recover.

“I must also offer our thanks to those river users who came to the aid of the officers, as well as other police and emergency service colleagues who immediately made their way to the scene to assist.

“The quick-thinking and professionalism of all those involved undoubtedly prevented any further injuries.”

Mr Bagley said he saw other boats on the river attempt to save those stranded in the water, throwing a cargo net and a life ring into the water.

He said: “There was another boat that came up from the river that had an open transom, and they were able to back into the people in the water and drag them onto the back of the boat.”

He added: “We were wondering why they were under way at high speed to begin with, we don’t know why they were being called upriver.”

His wife, Katherine, said: “They were both in pursuit of something farther down the river, but they never… the second boat never got to it because it crashed into the bridge with a big bang.”

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Coastguard said: "At around 3.45pm today (24 July) HM Coastguard responded to reports of people in the water, following a vessel colliding with Westminster Bridge.

"Marine Police units and a lifeboat from Tower RNLI attended the scene, alongside the ambulance service. All people involved have been rescued and are accounted for."

A fire service boat could be seen towing a police boat down the River Thames away from Westminster Bridge where five police police officers were injured in a crash on Friday.

The black rigid inflatable police boat was tethered to the larger fire service vessel as it made its way down the central London river.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts are with the five officers injured.

She also thanked the London Ambulance and Fire Service for their swift response.