Five police officers were injured when a Metropolitan Police boat struck Westminster Bridge on Friday afternoon. The vessel was travelling at speed in response to a report of a person in the River Thames near Battersea.
The collision threw three officers into the water, who were rescued by nearby boats. Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion as the rigid inflatable boat hit the bridge.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident occurred at around 3.40pm. Five officers were treated at the scene before being taken to hospital; one has since been discharged.
Westminster Bridge was closed to traffic and pedestrians as emergency services, including the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service, attended. A police helicopter and air ambulance were also deployed.
Witnesses James and Katherine Bagley, visiting from the United States, said they saw two police boats heading upriver before the crash. Katherine Bagley described the second boat striking the bridge with a loud bang.
The damaged police boat was later towed away by a fire service vessel. The Metropolitan Police has not released further details about the person reported in the water.
