Barge crash shunts launch onto riverbank

A boat was shunted aground onto the Thames Path in Henley after being struck by another vessel earlier this month, according to the Henley Standard.

The red passenger launch, named Le Ketchup, was hit from behind at speed by a green barge called The Lucy Locket at the Hobbs of Henley moorings off Station Road.

The underside of the launch’s prow was damaged in the incident, which happened while its owner was still on board. Le Ketchup also scraped the side of a smaller slipper launch called Thames Child, which was covered by a tarpaulin.

Witnesses said the barge had been heading downstream from Marsh Lock and attempted to turn around at East Eyot, the small island in the centre of the stream.

The crew apparently tried to put it into reverse, but it jammed in forward gear and they couldn’t get it back under control. The occupants of both boats were shaken but unhurt.

The towpath was busy at the time because of the exceptionally hot weather and many passers-by stopped to take photos of the boats. Le Ketchup used to belong to Henley Sales and Charter, but was sold to a private owner earlier this year. Gillian Nahum, who runs the business, said the owner was “devastated”.

She adds: “It must have been awful as he was standing up at the time and he could have been seriously injured. He loves that boat but it should be possible to repair it.”

The moorings weren’t damaged but Le Ketchup also grazed a plaque which celebrates a 1698 painting of the town by the Flemish artist Jan Siberechts, according to the Henley Standard.

Deputy Mayor David Eggleton, who helped to install it, said the metal plaque and a wooden post supporting it might have been damaged. “We won’t know for sure until someone’s had a look at it, but it might just be a case of replacing the whole thing — I don’t think you can re-order individual parts.

“The town council paid for it originally but any extra costs should be paid by the insurers of whoever was responsible for the crash.”