Llangollen Canal in Great Britain: Narrowboats go aground after dam bursts
Fabian Boerger
· 23.12.2025
The incident occurred at around four o'clock in the morning on a stretch of the historic canal near the town of Whitchurch. Witnesses told the BBC of strange noises, rushing water and creaking mooring lines that signalled the collapse. Those affected were able to get to safety in time. The Llangollen Canal is one of the most famous historic inland waterways in England and is popular with narrowboat owners for trips through Wales and the West of England.
Two narrowboats slipped into a four metre deep sinkhole
The dam burst, creating a depression in the canal that was around 50 metres long and four metres deep. Two narrowboats slipped into the depression and other boats ran aground as the water drained away. According to an engineer from the canal authority who told the BBC, the incident was due to a dyke failure. The dyke had been supporting the canal for 200 years and had now given way. The fire brigade built temporary embankments in the canal to stop further water run-off.
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Recovery and repair take weeks
In the coming days and weeks, the damaged boats will have to be salvaged and the damage to the canal repaired. For the time being, the fire brigade has erected dams in the canal to prevent further water from flowing out of the canal. According to the fire service, it is still unclear how long the repairs will take and when the affected section of the canal will be open to traffic again.
