ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A massive rescue operation has been launched after a 40-tonne party boat was seen appearing to sink on the River Thames.

Dramatic photos taken from the banks of the river show the private hire boat leaning on its side and partly submerged underwater.

Firefighters rushed to the scene and spent nearly 10 hours trying to rescue The Wyndham boat, which is run by Thames Boats Ltd.

The exclusive vessel, which costs up to £315 to hire for four hours, has a capacity for up to 120 people and hosts lunches, dinners as well as parties and celebrations with a bar on-board.

Lester Barnard, the sales and marketing director for Thames Boats Ltd. which owns the boat, said the company are carrying out an investigation into why it happened.

He said the cause is not yet known but the company has a "good safety record" with many years of river experience on the Thames.

"We are glad no one was on board when it happened and give our thanks to all the authorities who worked on the salvage operation," he said.

The London Fire Brigade said they were called to reports of a boat sinking close to London Bridge in the early hours of this morning.

The boat, which also hosts corporate team building days and clay pigeon shooting, had sunk to a depth of two metres, the fire service said. Nobody was on board at the time.

Martin Garside, from the Port of London Authority, said the boat is a catamaran which sprung a leak on one of its twin hulls on one side of the vessel.

"One of the hulls had taken in water," Mr Garside said. "She sprung a leak overnight, not a bump or collision. She's not going to sink."

The fire brigade used their specialist boat to pump water out of the vessel and crews helped to tie it to a mooring barge.

At around 2.10pm – more than 10 hours after the call came in at 4am this morning – the fire service said crews had left the scene and the incident had been finished by 1.30pm.

The brigade said it had left the boat in the care of the London Port Authority.

Passers-by and people working along the riverbank took to social media to express their bemusement at the bizarre sight.

User Damini said: "Lmao the whole office has stopped working and is watching this boat situation on the Thames."