Dramatic footage has captured the moment a canal boat fell into a sinkhole in Whitchurch, Shropshire, after a major collapse breached the Shropshire Union Canal and triggered an emergency response.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch, where a sinkhole measuring approximately 50 metres in length caused large volumes of canal water to rapidly escape onto surrounding land. The sudden loss of water destabilized the canal bed, leaving several narrow boats stranded and causing at least one vessel to drop sharply as the ground gave way beneath it.

Emergency services declared a major incident after receiving reports at around 4.22am. Ten people were assisted to safety, and authorities have confirmed there were no serious injuries. The scale of the collapse raised immediate concerns about further ground movement and structural instability along the canal.

A coordinated multi-agency response remains in place, led by the Shropshire Tactical Co-ordination Group. Crews are securing the site, assessing damage to nearby infrastructure, and working to prevent additional flooding or collapse.

Officials have urged the public to stay away from the area while recovery and safety operations continue. Significant disruption to canal traffic and nearby land is expected as engineers evaluate long-term repairs and stabilization measures.