Three elderly people rescued from sinking narrowboat in canal lock
Fire crews rescued three elderly people from a narrowboat sinking in a canal lock near Wombourne today.
Crews from Wolverhampton and Wombourne fire stations were called to the lock at Botterham Bridge near Wombourne.
They arrived to find three elderly people trapped on the 70 foot-long narrowboat, which was beginning to sink into the double lock on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.
The crews helped to guide the three people to safety, with crew members helping them up a ladder positioned next to Botterham Bridge.
It is still being investigated how the boat began to sink.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We were contacted at 10.41am about a 70 foot-long narrowboat which had partially sunk in a double canal lock.
"Three people were believed to be trapped inside the boat, so two West Midlands Fire Service engines from Wolverhampton were dispatched to the scene.
"This meant eight crew from Wolverhampton and four from Wombourne, who worked to bring the three people to safety, all of which required no medical treatment at the time.
"The incident was finished at 1.09pm and left with CRC to carry out the recovery of the barge."
