A police boat crashed into Westminster Bridge in central London on Friday, tossing officers into the River Thames and injuring five of the crew, the Metropolitan Police said.

Paramedics treated the injured on a black inflatable boat as a police helicopter hovered overhead near the clock tower that houses the bell known as Big Ben.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the boat was doing at the time or how it crashed, though the Met said it would be thoroughly reviewed.
Mateo Bilis-Lusevic, a 12-year-old visiting from Chile, said he was on a tour boat with his mother when they saw the crash.

“Two boats were riding extremely fast through the water,” he said. “Suddenly, I heard a boom. I was looking towards the boat, and I heard a boom. Then three people went flying into the water, and one of the people was really hurt.”

He estimated the officers were in the water for about 10 minutes and one was thrown a life ring.

There was no immediate information on the extent of injuries. Police did not believe any civilians were involved or hurt.

A large crowd gathered to watch as ambulances and fire crews responded but were eventually cleared from the bridge, which was closed to traffic.

A Port of London Authority spokesperson said it was helping manage river traffic and was working with the Metropolitan Police and the Coastguard.