THE stoppage notice in which Canal & River Trust described a lock closure as caused by 'boat damage', was in fact caused by a sunk boat where a disabled elderly lady nearly lost her life.
Though three of the crew were rescued from the sunken boat by ladder by firemen, an elderly disabled lady also on board was unable to climb the ladder, being left, it is reported, on board up to her waist in water, with the air ambulance quickly being called and its personnel rescuing her and transporting her to hospital, with a member of the crew stating she was lucky to be alive, Alan Tilbury reports. Photograph by Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
Patently untrue
The Kennet & Avon was closed at Wooton Top Lock (54) near Bruce Tunnel, as a hire boat had been caught on the cill and sank, but the official notice by Canal & River Trust told that it was 'boat damage' that caused the closure, which is patently untrue, as the picture below shows.
It would seem there is now a policy with the Trust to 'play down' anything that may affect prospective visitors by showing the canals are dangerous, which of course they can be, with untrained hirers knowing little of what to do when a boat's stern gets caught on the cill, and the boat starts to tip.
No 'boat damage'
The picture clearly shows there is no 'boat damage' at Wooton Top Lock, but a hire boat, this time from ABC Boat Hire at Aldermaston, caught on the cill—the third this month, this time with three people and two dogs having to be rescued by firemen with ladders from the stricken boat, and an elderly lady who was unable to climb the ladder, left in dire straights until the air ambulance arrived.
The steerer obviously allowed the boat to remain at the back of the lock whilst it was being emptied, its stern then being caught on the cill and sinking as the water was drained from the lock, with no attempt being made to close the paddles to prevent it.
The hire boat has now been removed and returned to its base with the navigation re-opened.
Hoodwink the public
[It seems obvious in view of what could have been a real disaster, the Trust wanted to play it down by attempting to hoodwink the public into thinking that boats do not sink in locks by describing it as 'boat damage'. This is a phrase being seen more and more in the Trust's stoppage notices, it blaming its customers—us boaters—for a multitude of it's sins, usually lack of maintenance. It is unfair—editor.]