A dramatic rescue took place on the Thames on Monday with Chiswick lifeboat crew and a local rower saving the life of a woman found in the water.
Quick thinking crew members helped paramedics to give CPR and use a heart defibrillator on the woman who was found floating unconscious in the water near Hammersmith.
Chiswick's E-Class lifeboat, named Joan and Ken Bellamy, was launched at 5.04pm and arrived to find a 'Tinfish' boat near to Furnivall rowing club and its occupant, St Paul's School rowing coach Henry Adams, clinging on to the casualty and holding her head above the water.
After pulling the victim into the lifeboat they moored alongside Furnivall Rowing Club's pontoon so a paramedic could come aboard.
Helmsman Gary Tiller began CPR whilst the lifeboat was made secure.
Wayne Bellamy, Station Manger at Chiswick Royal National Lifeboat Institution station, said: "Gary continued to administer CPR, pausing only for the paramedics to use the on board defibrillator to shock the casualty on the deck of the lifeboat.
"They did this for some time until the faint signs of life became apparent.
"CPR was taken over by Helmsman, Paul Harrison, while paramedics, Helmsman Gary Tiller and Duty Helmsman Iain Archibald prepared the casualty for transport by putting a neck collar on her and placing her on a stretcher."
The victim who is thought to be in her mid 30s, was then transferred to a nearby ambulance for further treatment.
The Chiswick crew were contacted by police at Charing Cross Hospital on their return to the station at 7.55pm, only to be told she was unlikely to make it through the night. However they were delighted to receive the news yesterday morning that their efforts were not in vain and she is alive.
Wayne Bellamy, said: "We discovered that she survived through Monday night and was sitting up, talking and taking refreshments.
"I'm extremely proud of my lifeboat crew here at Chiswick RNLI for their quick action and their calm and considered lifesaving work under extreme pressure and a very tense environment.
"I also pay tribute to the amazing efforts of the rowing coach who assisted with the rescue and indeed to those who alerted the authorities to the sighting of this woman.
"I understand he managed to take hold of her and hold her head above water until the lifeboat crew arrived.
"This is clearly a case where, were it not for the intervention of this coach, the public who rang 999 and the RNLI lifeboat crew, this woman would have died."
