Londoners who spotted swimmers bathing in a busy section of the River Thames on Sunday evening screamed at them to get out before somebody was hurt.
Shortly after 7 pm, two women entered the water at Folly House Beach, on the section of the river opposite the Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range.
The swimmers – believed to have been tourists – swam around 20 metres from the shore, leaving onlookers concerned for their safety.
One eyewitness said: “I don’t think they realise just how dangerous it is. Why would you do that?”
One witness was heard yelling at the pair to get out, but they did not appear to listen to them. Another commented on how the water in this area was “disgusting”.
Swimming in the River Thames is extremely dangerous, with people regularly getting into difficulty due to its tidal nature.
Desperate Pleas for Tourists to Leave the Dangerous River Thames
The Port of London Authority (PLA) actively discourages anyone from dipping in the Thames.
A spokesman for the PLA told Yahoo News U.K.: “Swimming in the River Thames is not advisable at any time. It is tidal and, even in hot weather, can be very cold, so it could cause cold water shock.
“We would advise anyone wanting to cool off to do it in a safe place such as local swimming baths.”
On the PLA website, advice continues. It says, “Swimming in the tidal Thames is not encouraged.
“The tidal Thames is a fast-flowing waterway and the busiest inland waterway in the U.K., accommodating over 20,000 ship movements and hosting over 400 events yearly.
“For these reasons, the PLA restricts swimming throughout most of its jurisdiction for the safety of swimmers and river users.”
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Metropolitan Police and Port of London Authority deal with drownings every summer as the tidal Thames see at least 30 swimmers get into difficulty in the river each year.
Tourists Risking Lives by Swimming in the River Thames
Vessels can be forced to take sudden avoiding action if a swimmer appears in their channel, putting the ship at risk of collision with bridges, piers or other containers.
Tottenham have announced Ange Postecoglou’s coaching staff, with Ryan Mason staying on at the club in an assistant coach capacity.
Former Spurs midfielder Mason took charge of the final six matches of the 2022-23 campaign, but doubts were cast over his long-term future.
Mason, 32, repeatedly stated his readiness for management during his second interim stint with his old side.
However, the once-capped England international will remain at Tottenham as part of Postecoglou’s backroom set-up.
Spurs have also recruited several other coaches to work with their new manager, with Chris Davies, formerly Brendan Rodgers’ assistant at Leicester, named as senior assistant coach.
Shocked Locals Beg for Their Safety on the River Thames
Former Crystal Palace and Australia midfielder Mile Jedinak will begin work with Tottenham on July 1 as an assistant coach. Matt Wells returned to the club to help Mason during his interim spell and will remain involved in the first-team set-up.
Rob Burch returns to Spurs as goalkeeper coach following spells with Fulham and Bournemouth.
On Monday, the Canadian dollar strengthened to a nine-month high against its U.S. counterpart as investors respected bullish technical signals for the currency and awaited inflation data that could cement another rate hike by the Bank of Canada.
The loonie was trading 0.3% higher at 1.3145 to the greenback, or 76.07 U.S. cents, after touching its most substantial level since September at 1.3134.
The recent break below critical technical support at 1.3260 was a “game changer” for the Canadian dollar, said Christian Lawrence, senior cross-asset strategist at Rabobank.
“I am not looking to fight this move lower in the short term. I prefer an extension down towards the 1.30 region,” Lawrence said.
Londoners Horrified by Tourists Tempting Fate in the River Thames
The gain for the Canadian currency came as the U.S. dollar lost earth against a basket of crucial currencies, and the price of oil, one of Canada’s major exports, settled 0.3% higher at $69.37 a barrel.
Oil rose as investors balanced concerns about global demand growth against upcoming supply disruptions that could be exacerbated by political instability in Russia.
The annual growth rate in Canada’s consumer price index is expected to slow to 3.4% in May after a surprise uptick to 4.4% in April. The data is due for release on Tuesday.
Money markets see a roughly 65% chance that the Bank of Canada will raise its benchmark interest rate in its July 12 policy decision. Earlier this month, the central bank tightened for the first time since January, lifting its policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.75%.
Canadian government bond yields were bottom across the curve, with the 10-year down 4.9 basis points at 3.307%.
