The Port of London Authority closed the river Thames in the
Greenwich area today, after a tugboat capsized and a crew member went missing.

Currently a massive search is underway for the missing man, involving six fire
crews, the coastguard, police and a helicopter. Two members of the crew were safely retrieved from
the water earlier today.

Daniel Jaffa told the BBC that he was forced to cancel a
sailing trip after he learnt the stretch of the Thames was closed. “This is
unheard of,” he said. “I have not seen anything like this in my time sailing.”

He said the rescue teams are using tourist boats to search
the stretch of the river for the missing crew member.

“There were three members believed to be onboard,” said a
Port of London Authority spokesman. “Two were rescued but regrettably a third
is still missing. We’ve a major search and rescue operation underway to try and
find them.”

The boat Chieftain
was towing a crane barge when it overturned at Convoys Wharf in Deptford at
around 10.50am.

The tug and barge are completely submerged, but a second
tugboat, which was reportedly attached to the barge, is still afloat.

The news comes just a week after we reported the death of
ferry apprentice Ben Wollacott after he fell from a ferry and under its
propellers in the Thames.