Tower Bridge Cordon

Something going on, on Tower Bridge at the moment, 3 police boats in the water around it, 3 vans on the south side of the bridge, section where ped gates are cordoned off, they are diverting peds through the road bit under the arch. Thats all I could see with my G9 from the office.. Jumper?

must be disgusting to jump to the Thames

Yep, (attempted) jumper: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=tower+bridge

must be disgusting to jump to the Thames

not really, the mucky brown water you see are simply soil that are transported near the sea, despite appearance, it's perfectly normal for it to be that colour.

We saw a guy climbing out of the Thames once, he had jumped in to try rescue someone.We were with a colleague from Timbuktu who was absolutely gobsmacked by the ambulance, police boats, helicopter and fire brigade display that shortly followed. The whole thing was very sad.

My old desk was 9 floors up almost opposite Millbank - you'd get one jumper every 2 months off Vauxhall Bridge*.

The current is surprisingly fast - they swoop down through the next two bridges in less than a minute. Not much of chance being pulled out alive by the time you get to Tower Bridge according to the often in the pub Water Police. And Rik, the Thames isn't as bad as it used to be - much much cleaner than ten years ago and supporting a broader range of aquatic life than before, now that industrial waste and effluent isn't being pumped into the upper end.

Hope the person's ok.

• it make a change to otters, dolphins and christmas trees.
  

and whales

Seems it was a drunk jumper, but he didnt in the end, which was nice
http://twitpic.com/1q8dj

My friend swam accross the thames (at night foolishly enough) to raise money for a rugby tour..

He did it fine but ended up quite a way down stream from where he started

why exactly would you necessarily drown if you jumped into the thames?

more of a height/impact thing isn't it?

Impact concussion or death.
Swift Current.

really? shit, bleak. but the bridges aren't that high? I suppose if you flopped it proper... shit, bleak.

i'm always amazed by the ways in which these people finish their time. it makes me very sad.

My friend swam accross the thames (at night foolishly enough) to raise money for a rugby tour..

He did it fine but ended up quite a way down stream from where he started

I've seen people do that in Twickenham, always naked and fuelled by alcohol - crazy fools!

I've had to swim in the Thames when I used to row. I remember capsising a pair about 4 years ago just after the river reopened to rowers after the sewage leak! :(

in some places the current is so strong that even a very good swimmer would be pulled along without being able to control his direction and speed, eventually he'll tire and go under.

The main problem if you jump in is the current around the base of the bridges pulling you under. If you jump in on the side the current is pulling through you'll probably get pulled down and smashed up a bit.