I took a boat trip along the Thames with City Cruises in November. The boat collided with a bridge wall and the impact broke four windows and there was a smell of burning. The crew put on life jackets but did not give them to terrified passengers. And at no stage was there an apology.
HB, London
Your ordeal bears worrying similarities to another City Cruises boat that collided with a tug on the Thames in 2014, injuring nine passengers. An investigation showed that the helmsman did not hold a boat master’s licence.
Footage you took shows crew, strapped into orange life jackets, seemingly more interested in stopping passengers from taking photographs than in reassuring them.
City Cruises tells me there was a fully licensed captain at the helm and the maritime coastal agency is investigating. As for the crew’s actions, it explains: “They are trained to put on life jackets as soon as an incident occurs so they are able to help deal with the unknown. The incident was swiftly assessed and it was deemed unnecessary to provide passengers with life jackets as they were not in danger.”
It claims the crew member filmed apparently preventing photographs was, in fact, gesturing passengers away from the broken glass. When asked why there was no apology, it invites those affected to contact the company for a refund. A gesture you’d think might have occurred to it at the time.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
