Five Metropolitan Police officers were injured Friday when their boat crashed into Westminster Bridge in central London, causing some crew members to fall into the River Thames. Paramedics attended to the injured on a black inflatable boat near the Houses of Parliament, where a police helicopter was observed hovering overhead.
The cause of the collision was not immediately clear, but the Metropolitan Police stated that the incident would undergo a thorough review. Witnesses reported seeing two boats traveling at high speeds before the crash. Mateo Bilis-Lusevic, a 12-year-old visitor from Chile, described hearing a loud impact and seeing three individuals thrown into the water, with one appearing seriously hurt. He estimated the officers were in the river for about 10 minutes, and one was given a life ring.
Authorities confirmed that no civilians were believed to be involved or injured. The bridge was closed to traffic as emergency services, including ambulances and fire crews, responded to the scene. A spokesperson for the Port of London Authority confirmed their involvement in managing river traffic and cooperating with the Metropolitan Police and the Coastguard.