Police not investigating 'stag party' canal boat sinking in Droitwich lock

The narrowboat hired from ABC Boat Hire in Lowesmoor was submerged after being parked in a Droitwich lock by a group believed to be on a stag do.

The boat was sunk overnight on Friday, before being rescued by volunteers and firefighters on Saturday (May 21).

Boat owners reportedly saw a stag party aboard three canal boats who they claim were hitting other boats and racing one another.

A spokesperson for Droitwich police said they are not currently investigating the incident.

However, they did not rule out a future investigation.

The Canal and Rivers Trust (CRT) is holding its own full investigation into the sinking.

SUNK: A canal boat was sunk in a Droitwich lock by a group on a stag do

It is understood that the stag party abandoned another boat and continued on a third, and all the boats had been hired by ABC Boat Hire on Friday (May 20).

ABC Boat Hire said the boat is currently being assessed for damage but did not confirm the cost of the damage or whether the group had lost their deposit.

A spokesperson for the firm previously told us: “Full handovers were carried out at the marina before the guests left the boatyard. 

“The parties have been removed from the other boats in the group and no one has been hurt.”

Volunteers from River Canal Rescue spent Saturday removing the boat from the lock and by around 5pm the boat had been removed from the lock and was once again floating on the canal.

RESCUE: A boat sunk by a ‘stag party’ is back above water following rescue efforts. The hired narrowboat was submerged after being parked in a lock in Droitwich by a group believed to be on a stag do. Volunteers from River Canal Rescue were quick to react and spent Saturday removing the boat from the lock. A spokesperson said: “Rescue team on-site refloating hire boat that has come to grief at the Droitwich lock flights.” By around 5pm, the boat had been removed from the lock and was once again floating on the canal. “Boat all up and floating and lock reopened,” read a follow-up post from River Canal Rescue. READ MORE: ‘Stag party’ sink canal boat in Droitwich lock Worcester News: The boat sank in a lock in Droitwich. Picture: River Canal Rescue The boat sank in a lock in Droitwich. Picture: River Canal Rescue The Canal and Rivers Trust has confirmed it is planning to launch a full investigation into what happened. A spokesperson said: “I think it was a stag party and there were three boats. “One was the one that got into trouble and that was because they didn’t operate the locks and the paddles properly, so ultimately their boat got stuck. “We are relieved that there have been no injuries or anything worse.” Worcester News: Rescue teams spent Saturday removing the boat from the lock Rescue teams spent Saturday removing the boat from the lock

A CRT spokesperson said on Saturday: "One (boat) was the one that got into trouble and that was because they didn’t operate the locks and the paddles properly, so ultimately their boat got stuck.

“The first time the trust was notified of the situation was at 9.30pm (on Friday night) but that was only in relation to some flooding on a nearby road.

READ MORE: ‘Stag party’ sink canal boat in Droitwich lock

READ MORE: Canal boat sunk by 'stag party' back above water

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“By about 10.15pm it was identified as being related to misuse of the locks.

“At 6.30am (on Saturday morning) we were notified by the West Midlands Fire Service that a boat had sunk.”

Canal user Amanda Huxtable claimed that her boat was hit by an ABC boat shortly after 10pm on Friday night.

She said: “These guys were incapable of being in charge of a 65ft narrowboat."