Man airlifted to hospital after river hire boat incident

Police have cordoned off a stretch of quay along the River Bure in Great Yarmouth following an incident. The hire boat involved was transferred to the yacht station after the incident, which took place one mile upstream near Clink Hill. Picture: Liz Coates (Image: Archant)

Officers were called to the scene in Tar Works Road, Great Yarmouth, at around 2pm on Tuesday.

Coastguard, ambulance and the air ambulance also attended, with a man airlifted to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

The river was closed one mile upstream of Great Yarmouth Yacht Station while the emergency services responded.

Police activity was centred on a cruiser and a stretch of quayside just along from the Centre 81 social and skills centre.

Police have cordoned off a stretch of quay along the River Bure in Great Yarmouth following an incident. The river was closed for several hours Picture: Liz Coates (Image: Archant)

A cordon was set up and police forensics were at the scene.

A couple from Grimsby, who were holidaying on the Broads, said it appeared a man had been injured.

They said it was chaos on the river for a while with boats berthed two abreast while the river was closed, and more coming in from the south.

The Broads Authority, which had urged river traffic to moor elsewhere while the incident was dealt with tweeted at just before 3.30pm that the river had been reopened.

Norfolk police’s Broadsbeat Twitter account posted: “Thanks to all in attendance at today’s incident on the River Bure near Great Yarmouth involving holiday makers on a hire boat.”