The Metropolitan Police said five officers were injured after a boat from the Met’s Marine Policing Unit struck Westminster Bridge at around 3.45pm on Friday July 24. Traffic on the bridge stopped as emergency services moved in and part of the crossing was taped off.
A number of officers entered the water after the impact, the force said, and were recovered. The officers were receiving treatment, while the Port of London Authority said it was aware of an incident involving a police vessel at Westminster Bridge.
Westminster Bridge response
Additional officers responded alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade. RNLI responders were seen treating casualties on a black rigid inflatable boat at Westminster pier, while a police helicopter and an air ambulance circled above.
Several emergency vehicles were parked on the bridge and along the Embankment. Exits one and two at Westminster were closed due to a police incident, adding to the disruption during Friday rush hour.
Metropolitan Police review
The Metropolitan Police said it did not believe any members of the public were involved or injured at this stage. It added: “The circumstances of the incident will be thoroughly reviewed, but at this stage our priority is the wellbeing of the officers involved.”
For people trying to cross Westminster Bridge or move through Westminster, the immediate change was the closure of part of the bridge and the stop-start access around the area. The unanswered point now is what caused the Marine Policing Unit boat to hit the bridge, and that will shape the review that follows.
