The lives lost during a tugboat accident nearly 70 years ago will be recognised publicly for the first time.

A group called Friends of the Tugboat Cervia are planning to commemorate the six crew members of the boat which sank in a tragic accident.

The Cervia – which has a rich history with Gravesend – was contracted to pull the cruise ship Arcadia out from Tilbury port on the River Thames in 1954 but disaster struck.

The Arcadia moved ahead to avoid colliding with an oncoming ship, the Orcades, dragging the Cervia along with it.

The crew was unable to deploy the quick release for the tow rope due to a fault and it resulted in the boat capsizing, and the engine room filling with water.

The Cervia sank in 30 seconds taking its captain and eight crew members down with it.

The tugboat Challenge came to the boat’s aide, rescuing three crew, but the remaining six died.

The Cervia now sits unseaworthy but afloat – having served as a tugboat until 1985 – in Steam dry docks in Ramsgate and was previously earmarked for disassembly but volunteers are trying to restore her.

Its lost crew members were never remembered in a public ceremony. But this week the group hopes to change that by holding two events to commemorate their lives.

Gravesend resident and group member Dave Walton said: “When the accident happened, she sank and three lads were rescued.

“We feel it’s important to remember those who went to work and never came back.”

The group will be holding an event on Wednesday (October 25) at 7pm in TJ’s Gravesend pub in Milton Road, remembering those who lost their lives that day.

A second service of remembrance will then be held on Saturday (October 28) at midday in St George’s Church in the town.

The group hopes family members of the crew will be in attendance and has organised for Cervia’s sister ship the Challenge – which was also there at the time of the accident and is still sailing – to moor up on the river at the same time.

Dave said: “This year is the 69th anniversary of the accident and as far as we’re aware it has never been commemorated but we hope to change that.”

The future of the Cervia itself is still uncertain, with multiple funding bids for its restoration being turned down.

However, Dave says the group is still working on restoring the ship.

He said: “I was born in Gravesend and have known the tugs all my life.

“There are only two of the tugs from that era in the Thames and to have it scrapped we’d lose 50% of that heritage.

“Cervia does float as and when the tide comes in but she isn’t seaworthy. She needs a lot of work on her hull and this is something we intend to do as a trust but over time.

“But our task is to get her afloat and seaworthy. She does run and her engine works but her boiler hasn’t been used for a long time.”

The Cervia sits as one of 200 vessels on the National Historic Fleet list.