Anglers Thwart Woman’s Suicide River Plunge

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Lifeboat called to the rescue after car is driven into the Thames

Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat crew received an emergency call on Monday 4th August at 19.10 from the London Coastguard to investigate reports of three people and a car in the river at Isleworth near the London Apprentice Public House.

Chiswick Lifeboat arrived on scene within minutes to find a blue Vauxhall Corsa in the river. From the attending police and ambulance crews, lifeboat crew-member Craig Burn ascertained that two anglers had seen the car drive into the river and had jumped into the water to save the female driver.

Burn got into the water to check there was no baby seat or any other people in the submerged vehicle before securing the car to the embankment wall using one of the lifeboat’s lines. It was later taken from the river by a London Coastguard crew.

Helmsman Paul Harrison said, “We are often called out to cars driven into the river accidently or, as in this case, deliberately. It is always essential to check there is no one trapped and prevent the vehicle becoming a danger to navigation”.

The RNLI has 233 lifeboat stations including four on the Thames. Chiswick RNLI lifeboat became operational on the 2nd January 2002. Since then it has responded to over 1,000 emergency calls. The four Thames lifeboats together have responded to over 3,500 calls. The RNLI is entirely supported by voluntary contributions.

August 6, 2008