A call comes in from the Coast Guard.
Eight miles downstream in North
Greenwich a man has fallen into the water.
When we've got a person in the
water that just raises everyone's game a
little bit because they are the people
where every second does count.
I mean I've had people drown in front of me, you know.
50-100 meters away I've seen
someone in the water and we've been
going to them at full speed and then
before we've got there that person's gone.
10 minutes after launching the crew
arrive at the location where the man
fell into the water.
A clipper one of the river buses that
works on the Thames has heard about the
incident on the radio and is already on the scene.
We couldn't
actually see where the casualty was and
it became apparent that the casualty was
on the other side from where we were,
quite close in to the shore.
Ian the crews paramedic boards the vessel.
The man is being kept just above water by
two sisters working on the clipper.
Between all of us we might be able to get him out.
We was out of service just getting ready to
go on break and then we get the call
that we need to go and help.
When I first saw him he was unconscious
In the life ring - he was face down so
it was quite hard to see what state he was in.
They'd managed to get hold of his
clothing but I think they were very exhausted.
We physically couldn't reach
down and grab the person from the water,
it was so hard both of us
couldn't lift him together.
Between the three of us we all tried to drag the
gentleman on to the clipper boat but he
was just too heavy and too much of a dead weight.
Helm Stewart must get the lifeboat in the narrow gap between the
larger vessel and the shore.
We went alongside best we could because the boat
was moving obviously the last thing we
want is to crush the casualty with five
and a half tons of boat.
The man has been in the water for almost
15 minutes and appears to be drifting in
and out of consciousness.
The water temperature is just 15 degrees Celsius
and hypothermia may be setting in.
If somebody's not trying to take their face
out of the water they're pretty poorly.
As the casualty is dragged aboard he
starts coming round.
While the crew makes sure he's stable
Ian checks on the sisters onboard the
river bus.
As soon as they had retrieved the casualty
it was just like a weight had been
lifted off our shoulders and we just
both fell back and sort of collapsed on
the deck and it was just - it was just
such an emotional experience.
I think the crew on the Clipper were
absolutely exhausted they'd had hold of
him for a very long time and they were
no longer focused on trying to save this
guy's life and they suddenly realized it
dawned on them what they've done.
I think you have someone whose life is in
your personal hands the emotional
release is horrific
so I understand we've been there.
We said to them - you know, well done and then we're
gone because we gotta get this guy to a pier
and get into the ambulance.
For 23 year old Holly her experience that day
has made a lasting impression. It was
just an amazing feeling to know that
you've helped save someone's life - so
since the day of the incident I've now
gone on to join in the RNLI as a
volunteer at tower lifeboat station.
One day one of our new crew members
turns up and it was young Holly from
that job.
We need people who have that
ability to fight through their own fears,
their own exhaustion - that is absolutely
the sort person we need in the RNLI.
It's been going great I think I've
settled in quite well. Teamwork means a
lot to me, everyone so lovely it's like
being part of a family.