Pier sinks in Richmond, pulling floating London restaurant underwater with it

 
'Mayhem': RNLI volunteers at the scene of the sinking restaurant by Richmond Bridge
Alexandra Rucki17 April 2015

This is the dramatic moment lifeboat crews scrambled to salvage a sinking boat restaurant moored on the River Thames.

The video clip shows The Boat restaurant along with other craft submerged as RNLI and police boats circle the wreck.

The vessel was moored on a pontoon in Richmond which had "failed," according to emergency crews.

The lifeboat was called shortly after 1am this morning.

RNLI volunteers searched the area for any possible casualties and returned to the sinking vessel once they found nobody was in the river.

A crowd formed. Lifeboat crews said a major risk was electrical equipment on board The Boat entering the river.

The London Fire Brigade were called to assist, with rescuers at the scene for more than three hours returning floating debris to the riverside.

Crew member James Kavanagh said: “It was mayhem. The river was littered with floating debris and the owners of the rowing boats tethered to the pontoon were frantically trying to salvage as much as they could.

“The pontoon had failed and any vessel moored with decent rope was quickly being dragged under.

“As the tide rose, the stern of The Boat restaurant became fully submerged.”

RNLI confirmed there were no injuries.

The Boat is one of only 11 remaining barges of its kind.

It was first built to use for river processions in the 15th century and was previously owned by Jesus College at the University of Oxford.

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