The 62 ft 4-berth Wyvern Shipping hire boat ‘Empress’ sank on 25 September at Kegworth Deep Lock on the River Soar.

With the top gates closed and the bottom paddles opened, the steerer stepped off the boat to take a look at the parallel old lock and the boat drifted back in the lock, the stern caught on the cill and the bow sank into the bottom of the lock.
Two ladies who were in the saloon managed to make their way to the stern and get off the boat and in doing so one received minor cuts and bruises.
The emergency services were called by a passer-by and the police, ambulance and fire brigade arrived within 20 minutes; then the hirer called Wyvern Shipping’s managing director James Griffin.
He requested that the fire service ensured that the lock must not be used and the boat left on the cill until he arrived. Wyvern then informed the Canal & River Trust (CRT) of the accident.
After two hour wait CRT’s contractors Commercial Boat Services’ arrived with pumps and lifting equipment and a rescue plan was then agreed by James Griffin and them.
Using winches to pull the boat onto an even keel mobile pumps were used to remove the water from the cabin. With the gunwales above water the boat was soon pumped out and when it was fully floated it was found that no water had gone beyond the forward area that was sunk. The river water was fortunately very clean.
The rescue operation took four hours and the holidaymakers were able to remain on the boat. Wyvern Shipping replaced the loose items that had been submerged and the hirers were able to continue their two week holiday on the Leicester waterway ring.
Thanks to Harry Arnold of Waterway Images for this report and James Griffin of Wyvern Shipping for the image.