L E O B L O C K L E Y M E M O R I A L C A M P A I G N

Swamping Safety Database

Details of incident 105

Date	31 Mar 2007
Location	Tideway, London
Water Temperature
Boat(s) involved	Many 8+
Boat Construction	Various
Outcome	Multiple boats swamped or sank at the Head of the River Race, causing the race to be abandoned, and safety launches to rescue crews from the water.
Description	Newpaper report Caroline Smith wrote: "Well, I was sat in my little marshalling spot up by Kew Bridge hanging on to a tree for dear life, and missed most of the "fun", but here's what I gathered from the marshalls... At least 2 sinkings on the way to the start so everything got delayed while they got rescued and sorted out. Division 1 (crews 1 to 50) went off, but apparently 10 of them sunk. Leander II under Hammersmith Bridge, and Thames I also but apparently they somehow managed to finish the course. Don't know who the rest were, or even if the number was accurate - it's just what the marshals were telling us. Luckily the race was abandoned after that. Chiswick bridge was shut until everyone had been fished out of the water, but eventually we were all allowed back one at a time, heavily marshalled the whole way. rec.sport.rowing thread