Drowning man is plucked from the River Thames with just seconds to spare as a brave RNLI crew member risks his own life by jumping in to save him without his safety helmet

• Lifeboat crew were called after reports of screaming on river near Woolwich Pier
• Unidentified man was seen gasping for breath just before 6am on Sunday
• Ten seconds it would have taken for crew member to put on helmet ‘could have proved fatal for casualty’
• Rescuer Steve Doherty grabbed man after feeling for his head after he went under; man found breathing but with signs of reduced consciousness

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This is the dramatic moment a drowning man was rescued from the River Thames with just seconds to spare.

The RNLI was alerted just before 6am on Sunday after reports that screaming was heard coming from the river near Woolwich Pier, in south-east London.  

Video footage shows members of the lifeboat crew at the scene, where it quickly becomes apparent that their vessel cannot reach the casualty because he is under a jetty.

As the unidentified man gasps for breath – and with the risk of the strong current dragging him under – the heroic lifeboat volunteers try, unsuccessfully, to deploy a flotation aid and throw line. 

The RNLI was alerted just before 6am on Sunday after reports that screaming was heard coming from the river near Woolwich Pier, in south-east London. Above, the lifeboat crew at the scene

It quickly becomes apparent that their vessel cannot reach the casualty because he is under a jetty, so they try to get a flotation aid and throw line to the unidentified man. For a few desperate seconds, he vanishes under the surface

The ten seconds it would take for a crew member to put on their helmet could have proven fatal for the casualty. 

At this point, the RNLI crew make a snap decision, known as a dynamic risk assessment – and one of their own, Steve Doherty, enters the water without a helmet, which is not standard practice.

But before his rescuer can reach him, the casualty vanishes under the surface.

After a few desperate seconds, the crew member feels the man’s head under the water and pulls him up and over to the boat. 

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He was found to be breathing but showing signs of reduced consciousness. 

Mr Doherty, Tower Lifeboat Helm, said: ‘We wouldn’t normally enter the water without a helmet, but given the threat to life, the ten seconds it would have taken to put on the equipment could have proved fatal for the casualty.

‘Without the actions of the lifeboat crew, the man would not have been rescued and would have drowned. 

‘There is no doubt this is a life saved – if we had been a minute later, the man would not have survived.’

The RNLI crew make a snap decision, known as a dynamic risk assessment – and one of their own, Steve Doherty, enters the water without a helmet, which is not standard practice. Mr Dohery feels the man’s head under the water and pulls him up and over to the boat

Regarding the decision for the crew member to enter the water without a helmet, an RNLI spokesman said: ‘The immediate risk to life, the swell, structural surroundings and how long the casualty had been in the water meant the crew member had no other choice if he was to rescue the man.

‘The crew member entered the water and started to swim to where the casualty was seen to go under the surface. 

‘A throw line was also deployed by a crew member on board the lifeboat, landing at this location. The crew member in the water felt the man’s head under the water and tried to pull him up. 

The drama unfolded near Woolwich Pier (above, file image). The man, who was found to be breathing but showing signs of reduced consciousness, was taken to hospital. His current condition is unknown

‘The man rose to the surface gasping for breath; the crew member immediately took hold of the man to maintain his airway and started to swim them both back to the lifeboat.’ 

The man was taken to hospital. His current condition is unknown. 

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 6:08am yesterday to reports of an incident on Unity Way, Greenwich.

‘We sent an ambulance crew and an incident response officer to the scene. We treated a man at the scene and took him to hospital as a priority.’ 

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