Police struggling to rescue a man drowning in the River Thames had to think quickly when a brave colleague also tumbled into the water.
Authorities received reports the man had fallen into the river by Plantation Wharf at about 3.30am on Tuesday.
The crew of a passing ship named the Polla Rose unsuccessfully tried to pull him aboard amid an exceptionally strong and fast-flowing evening tide before officers arrived.
When they did arrive, PC Ky Bukhari from Hammersmith and Fulham "risked her own safety" by climbing down the pilot ladder of the ship and holding the man up to stop him from being submerged.
A statement from Scotland Yard said: "His head kept dropping face down in the water and was only kept up by PC Bukhari's actions of pulling him up.
"As this was unfolding, the Polla Rose was forced to reverse because it could not fight the tide any longer."
Officers from the Marine Policing Unit arrived as the ship then started "immediately" drifting dangerously towards the Imperial Wharf, it said.
At this point, PC Nick Bultitude quickly drove his boat into the gap and positioned it closely enough for his crew to perform a rescue and avoid crushing the drowning man between the two vessels.
But the Polla Rose continued to reverse and PC Bukhari lost her grip on the pilot ladder, herself tumbling into the river.
Thankfully, the Met Police said two of PC Bultitude's crew managed to reach over their boat's guard rail and yank her out of the water and pathway of the moving hulls.
Inspector Chris Green, from the Marine Policing Unit, said: "PC Bukhari did not think twice about putting her own life in danger in order to help the man in the water.
"The officers from the Marine Policing Unit's quick thinking played a vital role in not only rescuing the casualty, but their own colleague as well."
PC Bukhari and the man were taken to a central London hospital for treatment but have since been discharged.
