Five police officers were injured after their speeding patrol boat crashed into Westminster Bridge in the heart of London, throwing three crew members into the River Thames as stunned tourists watched from nearby vessels.
The dramatic collision happened at about 3:40 p.m. Friday, July 24, as the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit responded to a report of a person in the water near Battersea, several miles upstream.
Witnesses said two police boats were racing along the river when the second vessel struck the bridge with a deafening bang. Three officers were hurled into the water by the impact and were rescued by people aboard nearby boats.
All five officers aboard the vessel were injured and taken for medical treatment. One was later released from the hospital, while four remained hospitalized with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. No members of the public were reported hurt.
Jim Bagley, an American tourist visiting London from Gloucester, Massachusetts, said he and his wife were waiting to board a sightseeing cruise when they saw the police boats approaching at high speed.
Bagley said the first vessel passed beneath Westminster Bridge and created a large wake. Moments later, the black police boat following behind appeared to lose control and slam into the bridge wall.
“We didn’t see it happen, but we heard the explosion,” Bagley said. “The next thing we saw was three people in the water, coming down the river.”
He said passengers and crews aboard nearby boats quickly sprang into action, throwing a life ring and cargo net toward the officers. Another vessel reportedly backed toward those struggling in the river so they could be pulled aboard.
His wife, Katherine, said the two police boats appeared to be pursuing or responding to something farther along the Thames before the second vessel crashed.
A mother and son from Chile were aboard a tour boat near the bridge when they also witnessed the terrifying scene.
“Two boats were riding extremely fast through the water,” 12-year-old Mateo Bilis-Lusevic said. “Suddenly, I heard a boom. Then three people went flying into the water, and one of the people was really hurt.”
Mateo estimated that some of the officers remained in the river for approximately 10 minutes before being rescued. At least one was seen clinging to a life ring.
Another witness compared the violent impact to the sound of a car crash.
The collision triggered a massive emergency response near some of London’s most famous landmarks, including Parliament and Big Ben. Ambulances, fire crews, police units and rescue teams rushed to the river, while a police helicopter and air ambulance circled overhead.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution responders were seen treating casualties aboard a boat at Westminster Pier. The London Fire Brigade also deployed its fire boat and three rescue units equipped for emergencies on the water.
A fire service vessel later towed the damaged black police boat away from Westminster Bridge.
Authorities shut down traffic and pedestrian access across part of the bridge as emergency crews worked below. Large crowds gathered along the Victoria Embankment before police instructed onlookers to move away.
The incident also caused disruptions to river transportation. One Uber Boat by Thames Clippers service was canceled, while other routes experienced delays.
The Port of London Authority said it was helping control river traffic and working alongside the Metropolitan Police, the Coast Guard and other responding agencies.
Police have not yet announced exactly what caused the boat to strike the bridge. Witnesses suggested the vessel may have been affected by the wake of the first police boat, but that theory has not been confirmed.
“The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly reviewed, but at this stage our priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved,” the Metropolitan Police said.
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