Richard Hammond accidentally sinks boat during filming

Richard Hammond sinks boat in 10 seconds and swims through freezing North Sea <i>(Image: Submitted)</i>
Richard Hammond sinks boat in 10 seconds and swims through freezing North Sea (Image: Submitted)
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TV presenter Richard Hammond has revealed how he accidentally sank a boat during filming, forcing him to swim through freezing water in heavy clothing.

The incident took place in the North Sea while filming a Scotland special for The Grand Tour.

Mr Hammond, who lives in Abergavenny, was attempting to tow a floating platform carrying co-host Jeremy Clarkson when things went wrong.

He said: "It was basically like one of those working horses collars, a dray horses collar, it was just extra weight."

Mr Hammond admitted he tied the tow rope to a weak point on the boat – a fishing rod holder rather than a proper anchor point – and applied full throttle at Mr Clarkson’s urging.

The boat rocked, split, and completely sank in about ten seconds.

He was left stranded in the freezing cold north sea and had to swim to shore wearing jeans, boots, an aron sweater, a shirt, and a wax jacket.

He later discovered that he had not pulled the cord on his life jacket, so it had not inflated.

The unscripted moment was captured on camera and later became a series highlight for Mr Clarkson.

Mr Clarkson said: "Honestly my knees collapsed when it happened, I was laughing so much, that panicky laughter when you think if you don’t breathe and then you’re going to suffocate."

He said it was his favourite part of the series, adding that the team "We just burst out laughing when somebody has been hurt or makes a fool of themselves."

Mr Hammond later noted in interviews that a single GoPro camera managed to keep him in frame the entire time the vessel was sinking.

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