Incident at Teddington

[alistairedw]

Just noticed in our local paper an article about a boat owner getting into serious trouble at Teddington on Monday. According to the paper, whilst making short trip up from Twickenham to the Anglers at Teddington he ran out of fuel and the strong flow then swept the small cruiser into a jetty.

When the boat hit the jetty the man was catapulted from the foredeck into the river. He was dragged under (no life jacket) and unable to see anything. He eventually managed to grab hold of a pile and held on.

Within minutes Teddington lifeboat arrived and he was rescued.

Apparently the incident was witnessed by one of the lock keepers so we may get to hear the full story?

I suspect that had he not been able to grab hold of a pile he might not have survived.

 

[teddington_lock]

Yes , that was me .

I was on duty , but in the office doing some paperwork when a member of the public came in to tell me that someone was in the water on the downstream side of the launch lock ( we were not using that lock at the time as we had had a hydraulic failure ) ...

The chap was hanging onto a cleat on the pontoons opposite the lock , but was beginning to tire quickly . I shouted across to him to hold on and help was coming and phoned LCG and requested Teddington Lifeboat , but stressed that the boat didn't need to be launched , as the man was on the pontoon outside their station ( the LOM also owns the pontoons there ) .

Meanwhile the boat the chap had fallen off had made a U turn downriver and had got alongside the pontoon and were pulling him out. They laid him down on the pontoon , but he was in a bad way. The lifeboat crew arrived moments later and took over. The man was eventually taken to hospital in an ambulance , suffering ( i beleive ) from shock and borderline hypothermia.

I didn't witness the actual impact , but from speaking to others i gather that , as you said , the boat ran out of fuel and while they were refilling it ( and it was drifting ) , it struck the front of the pontoons. We had several gates open on the weir at the time.

I suspect you are right with regards to if he hadn't got hold of a cleat it would have been a different story.

 

[No Regrets]

A lesson in planning learnt on his behalf I trust.

 

[Richard Shead]

I would think

A lesson in planning learnt on his behalf I trust.

The story would have a very different ending if they had just left the Anglers...(and we have all done it...)

 

[Captain Coochie]

Speak for yourself Sir ! I have never ever been to the Anglers from Twickenham and once seen or myself fallen in the river going to or fro from there ..................... Honest

 

[Captain Coochie]

Apart from Roy
and Marvin
and Gordon
and Don
and .............

 

[No Regrets]

Amateurs.

I always get IN the bloody boat before having a skinfull....

 

[Captain Coochie]

Twickenham doesnt work like that