Man’s body found after Gravesend tug sinks

Investigation teams searching for a crew member missing from a Gravesend tug boat have recovered a body.

The body of a male was found in the River Thames, in the Deptford area, at 5pm yesterday (Monday).

A Port of London Authority spokesman said the man’s family had been informed but formal identification has yet to take place.

The name of the man has not been officially released but he is understood to be Darren Lacey. He is believed to come from Gravesend and had a young family.

Two investigations have now been launched after the Gravesend tug Chiefton capsized and sank in the River Thames close to Greenwich Pier on Friday.

At the time it capsized, the tug was towing a barge with a crane on it.

The Chiefton belongs to Palmers Marine Services, a family tugboat business based in Wharf Road, Gravesend. No one from the company was available to comment.

A Met Police spokesman said two investigations led by the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have been set up to establish why the tug sank.

A Port of London Authority spokesman said they are now waiting for lifting equipment to begin the raising operation of the tug.

He said: “We are in the first stages of the salvage process. We are waiting for a large piece of lifting equipment and skilled workers and should begin in the next two to three days.”

The spokesman added that there was no early indication of why the tug capsized.

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