Tipped into the Thames at Strand on the Green when they lost an oar

Two scullers were tipped into the Thames when one of their oars caught a navigation buoy off Strand on the Green on Tuesday (Dec 1st).

After floundering in the water for a few moments, they struggled to hold on to their upturned hull and were desperately calling for help. The two scullers managed to get to the bank but they were by then soaked through and cold.

The Chiswick Lifeboat arrived and the crew took the scullers on board and gave them blankets to keep them warm, then recovered their craft onto the Lifeboat.

Helmsman Andy Mayo commented; “Although the air temperature was mild for the first of December the men became cold very quickly in the chilly water and then being in a strong breeze in waterlogged clothes.

"Fortunately they followed the advice of holding onto their boat to give them some buoyancy and there was someone nearby to raise the alarm. There was no access to the towpath from where they ended up, once again showing the need for the RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames”.

Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland; since starting service in 2002, has attended over 2800 incidents and rescued over 1500 people.

December 1, 2015