Nine injured as pleasure boat strikes Tower Bridge

Motorboats Monthly: London Coastguard and the RNLI were called to Tower Bridge this morning after a boat crash injured nine.

One of London’s most recognisable monuments was the scene of a coastguard callout this morning, after a 600-seater pleasure boat collided with Tower Bridge. At around 11:50am, City Cruises’ flagship vessel ‘Millenium Diamond’ struck the northern pillar of the bridge while cruising upstream.

The pleasure boat was then forced to dock at nearby St. Katherine’s Pier as the RNLI and coastguard were called to the scene. Eyewitness reports described how 126 passengers, including a group of around 50 schoolchildren in red uniforms, were made to disembark.

The London Ambulance Service later confirmed that nine were injured, five of which required hospital attention. These included a 64-year-old woman who suffered head and pelvic injuries after falling down some metal steps and was taken to the Royal London Hospital, according to the BBC.

Two ambulances and a police patrol vehicle were called to the pier, which was closed for the next two hours. No arrests were made at the scene, but enquiries are ongoing.

‘Millenium Diamond’ suffered only minor damage and was allowed to cast off and return to the company’s London headquarters shortly after the pier reopened. No visible damage was done to the bridge and road traffic was uninterrupted.

‘Millenium Diamond’ was recently launched by City Cruises and boasts the largest open-air deck on the Thames.

A statement from the company said: “City Cruises reacted quickly and continues to work with the authorities for the safety and welfare of its passengers.

“There have been a number of injuries reported, including crew who were immediately assessed and are being transferred to local hospitals.”
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