Timeshare Boat Tragedy

A holidaymaker has died after falling from a narrowboat and becoming trapped in its propeller on a canal near Lichfield.

The 59-year-old man was on a timeshare boat holiday with his wife, daughter and son-in-law when he plunged into the water and became caught under the vessel at Alrewas.

Paramedics battled to save him but he died at the scene, on the Trent & Mersey Canal alongside The Old Boat restaurant, off Kings Bromley Road.

The man, from Somerset, was manoeuvring the Canaltime Narrowboats Timeshare boat below a lock when he fell into the water at about 4pm on Tuesday.

A member of his family and a fellow boater managed to pull him out of the water and onto the canal bank where paramedics battled to save him but he died at the scene.

Fellow timeshare holidaymaker Julian Yates, who was on another Canaltime boat behind, was one of the first people to arrive at the incident. He said:"The man on the back of the narrowboat had somehow pitched into the water and was trapped under the boat.

"The paramedics were here very quickly and they did all they could to save him but, unfortunately, he died. It is very sad and upsetting.

"I didn't see how he fell into the water but I think he was probably trying to moor up in front of the lock and got into a bit of a muddle.

"The boat was across the canal when I saw it, so he may have been trying to reverse and then the boat bumped the bank when he went forward, which could have been enough to tip him into the water."

Staffordshire Ambulance spokesman Bob Lee said:"It is a rare occurrence to have a boating incident like this. Generally, boating is quite a safe pastime."

The County Air Ambulance, two land ambulances, a doctor, the paramedic response unit, fire crews and police were all called to the scene. A Staffordshire Police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Officers cordoned off the scene while inquiries began into how the incident happened, and health and safety officers from Lichfield District Council have launched an investigation.

Representatives from British Waterways and the Canaltime Narrowboats timeshare company also attended the scene.

Mick Finlan, who lives alongside the canal, said: "I don't think we've ever heard of an accident like this happening on the canal here before. It is all very sad."

Tim Matthews, Environmental Health Manager at Lichfield District Council, said: "On Tuesday August 1, our Health and Safety team were called out to an accident on the canal at Alrewas, where a man tragically died.

"We are currently examining the facts surrounding the timeshare death, and in the case the accident occurred during a work activity, we will consider carrying out an investigation under the Health and Safety at Work Act."