A pleasure boat with 151 people on board caught fire and lost engine power before careering into a river bank.

The skipper of the white triple-decker boat Erasmus steered the boat toward the bank of the river Thames after both engines failed, the Port of London Authority (PLA) said.

London Fire Brigade was called at around 3.45pm to reports of a fire on the vessel, which crashed into pilings near to Canary Wharf pier.

Footage posted by passers-by appeared to show smoke billowing from the back of the 300-tonne passenger vessel as it veered across the river diagonally.

A small fire broke out in the engine room, and was extinguished with a powder extinguisher before fire crews arrived, the fire service said.

Some 142 passengers and six crew were evacuated, while three crew remained on board.

Transport for London's River branch tweeted: 'Please note that our vessels are currently not stopping at Canary Wharf pier due to an unplanned closure.'

The boat is currently 'safe and secure' by the river bank with its anchor dropped, and will be towed away in due course, according to the PLA.

At that stage it will start its investigation into the circumstances of the incident, the PLA added.

Are you a Norfolk or Suffolk resident who was on the boat? Email newsdesk@archant.co.uk