LONDON – Public safety officials say a pleasure boat carrying 151 people crashed into a pier on the River Thames in London after an engine fire.
The London Fire Brigade said it was called at around 3.45 p.m. Sunday to reports of a fire on the triple-decker vessel Erasmus. It says a small fire in the engine room was extinguished before fire crews arrived.
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The brigade says 142 passengers and six crew members were rescued. Three crew members remained on board.
Footage filmed by witnesses shows what appears to be smoke billowing from the back of the 300-ton boat as it veered across the river before crashing into Canary Wharf Pier.
Dan Hine, who posted video of the incident to social media, could be heard saying “Oh my God” as he watched the vessel cruise toward the pier.
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“Call the police,” he could be heard telling another witness, just seconds before the boat rammed into the wall of the river.
The Metropolitan Police Service says officers and ambulance crews responded as a precaution, but there were no reports of significant injuries.
-With files from The Associated Press
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