A man is rescued from mud flats on the River Medway by the RNLI

by Jenni Horn

A full scale rescue operation was launched when a man ended up in the mud on the River Medway completely naked.

The emergency services were called when the man was spotted going into the icy water near Sun Pier, Chatham, just before 4pm today (Sunday) wearing just a pair of boxer shorts.

Kent Police, the ambulance service, the RNLI, Medway Coastguard and a specialist mud rescue team from Medway fire station attended.

The man, whose age is unknown, swam up river towards Gun Wharf where he was met by some of the rescue boats. He clambered onto the mud flats and refused to move. He later stripped off his boxer shorts and stood naked in the mud.

Members of the Medway coastguard crew were shouting at the man, trying to persuade him to make his way across the mud towards their boat, while police and fire officers shouted from the shore.

After about 30 minutes two members of the RNLI crew were able to get across the mud. They spent some time talking to the man and were able to persuade him to get into a boat.

The RNLI took the man to Thunderbolt Pier where an ambulance was waiting.

Mike Robins, Strood fire station watch manager, said: “We believe the man may have been suffering from health issues which led to him going into the water.”