WATCH: Boaters Flee as Canal Wall Gives Way, Leaving Vessels Marooned in Crater

Authorities in Shropshire, England, declared a major incident early Monday after a canal embankment collapsed before dawn, draining part of the Llangollen Canal and leaving several boats stranded. The breach near Whitchurch occurred around 4 a.m., causing water to rapidly pour out of the canal and leaving three narrowboats stuck in a crater roughly 160 feet wide.

Twelve people living on nearby moored boats were evacuated, according to reports. Initial statements suggested a sinkhole had formed, but the Canal and River Trust later confirmed that a section of the canal wall had failed. Video from the scene shows one boat slipping into the newly formed crater.

Emergency services declared a major incident at 5:17 a.m. as large volumes of water flooded surrounding land. By 8:30 a.m., Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said the situation had stabilized and water flow had slowed. Officials confirmed that no search-and-rescue operations were underway and that no injuries had been reported.

Area manager Scott Hurford said no one was believed to be on board the affected boats when the collapse occurred. He noted that residents noticed the falling water levels, began evacuating on their own, and alerted emergency services. Hurford called it extremely fortunate that no one was hurt.

One boater, 75-year-old Bob Wood, said he narrowly escaped serious injury. He woke up to the sound of rushing water and felt his boat begin to tilt. When he opened the door, he realized the water beneath the boat was rapidly draining away. Wood said he stepped off the boat just as the back end lifted several feet into the air. He also alerted a neighbor, who managed to escape moments before their boat went under as well.

Pictures show the damage caused to the two narrowboats which were caught in the sinkhole

Aerial images show the destruction caused to two of the boats which have been left at the bottom of the sinkhole

Three boats were caught up in a section of the canal which completely drained with water

Wood, who has lived on his boat for eight years, said both vessels sank within seconds of each other—one nose-first, the other stern-first—highlighting how close the incident came to becoming a tragedy.

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