Editing Tower Bridge (section)

== Incidents ==
[[File:Tower Bridge in London at night.jpg|thumb|Tower Bridge in London]]
On 10 August 1912, the pioneering stunt pilot [[Francis McClean]] flew between the bascules and the high-level walkways in his [[Short Brothers]] S.33 floatplane. McClean became a celebrity overnight because of the stunt, and went on to fly underneath [[London Bridge]], [[Blackfriars Bridge]] and [[Waterloo Bridge]].{{sfn|Stewart|1964|page=40}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21518157 |title=Frank McClean: Forgotten pioneer of the sky |first=Gerald |last=Butt |website=[[BBC News]] |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=25 June 2021 |archive-date=25 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625122442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21518157 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 3 August 1922, a 13-year-old boy fell off a slipway next to the south side of Tower Bridge. A man jumped into the Thames to save him, but both were pulled under a barge by [[Butler's Wharf]] and drowned.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man And Boy Drowned At Tower Bridge |newspaper=The Times |date=4 August 1922 |page=5 |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS87102212/TTDA?u=kccl&sid=TTDA&xid=9c3fe8ba |access-date=14 September 2020 |archive-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929053428/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=TTDA&u=kccl&id=GALE%7CCS87102212&v=2.1&it=r&sid=TTDA&asid=9c3fe8ba |url-status=live }}</ref>

In December 1952, the bridge opened while a [[London Buses route 78|number 78]] double-decker bus was crossing from the south bank. At that time, the gateman would ring a warning bell and close the gates when the bridge was clear before the watchman ordered the raising of the bridge. The process failed while a relief watchman was on duty. The bus was near the edge of the south bascule when it started to rise; driver [[Albert Gunter]] made a split-second decision to accelerate, clearing a {{convert|3|ft|m|0|adj=on}} gap to drop {{convert|6|ft|m|0}} onto the north bascule, which had not yet started to rise. There were no serious injuries. Gunter was given [[GBP|£]]10 (equivalent to £{{inflation|UK|10|1952|r=-1}} in {{inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}) by the City Corporation to honour his act of bravery.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Jumping Bus |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=12 January 1953 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,817691,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222123553/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,817691,00.html |archive-date=22 December 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Leafe |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/architecture/8459219/Tower-Bridge-a-towering-boys-toy.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/architecture/8459219/Tower-Bridge-a-towering-boys-toy.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Tower Bridge: a towering boy's toy |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=19 April 2011 |access-date=14 September 2020}}{{cbignore }}</ref>
[[File:South Arch of Tower Bridge (South Face - 01).jpg|thumb|left|The south arch of Tower Bridge]]

On 5 April 1968, a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Hawker Hunter]] FGA.9 jet fighter from [[No. 1 Squadron RAF|No. 1 Squadron]] made [[Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident|an unauthorised flight through Tower Bridge]]. Unimpressed that senior staff was not going to celebrate the RAF's 50th birthday with a [[fly-past|flypast]], the pilot flew at low altitude down the Thames without authorisation, past the [[Houses of Parliament]], and continued towards the bridge. He flew beneath the walkway, at an estimated {{convert|300|mph|-2}}. He was placed under arrest upon landing, and discharged from the RAF on medical grounds without the chance to defend himself at a [[court martial]].{{sfn|Shaw|1986|page=157}}<ref>{{cite news |title=RAF fighter 'buzzes' Thames bridges |newspaper=The Times |date=6 April 1968 |page=2 |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS34958982/TTDA?u=kccl&sid=TTDA&xid=9084e35b |access-date=14 September 2020 |archive-date=29 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929053428/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=TTDA&u=kccl&id=GALE%7CCS34958982&v=2.1&it=r&sid=TTDA&asid=9084e35b |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 31 July 1973, a single-engined [[Beagle Pup]] was twice flown under the pedestrian walkway of Tower Bridge by 29-year-old stockbroker's clerk Peter Martin. Martin, who was on bail following accusations of stock market fraud, then "buzzed" buildings in the city before flying north towards the [[Lake District]], where he died when his aircraft crashed some two hours later.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/lakes/axic.html |title=Beagle Pup G-AXIC – Keswick |website=www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk |access-date=11 January 2020 |archive-date=11 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111101714/http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/lakes/axic.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Gives Suicide Plan To Crash Plane into Tower of London, Dies in Crash 240 Miles Away |work=Lundington Daily News |date=1 August 1973 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VJAKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HUwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4691%2C2487801 |access-date=14 February 2010 |archive-date=22 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222192722/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VJAKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HUwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4691%2C2487801 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 1997, the [[Presidential State Car (United States)|motorcade]] of United States President [[Bill Clinton]] was divided by the opening of the bridge. The [[Thames sailing barge]] ''Gladys'', on her way to a gathering at [[St Katharine Docks]], arrived on schedule and the bridge was opened for her. Returning from a Thames-side lunch at ''Le Pont de la Tour'' restaurant with UK Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]], President Clinton was less punctual and arrived just as the bridge was rising. The bridge opening split the motorcade in two, much to the consternation of security staff. A spokesman for Tower Bridge is quoted as saying: "We tried to contact the American Embassy, but they wouldn't answer the phone."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Shore |first=John |title=Gladys takes the rise out of Bill |journal=Regatta Online |issue=100 |date=July 1997 |url=http://www.rowingservice.com/regatta/100-gladys.html |access-date=25 September 2007 |archive-date=29 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529150019/http://www.rowingservice.com/regatta/100-gladys.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 19 August 1999, Jef Smith, a [[Freeman of the City of London]], drove a flock of two sheep across the bridge. He was exercising a claimed ancient permission, granted as a right to freemen, to make a point about the powers of older citizens and the way their rights were being eroded.<ref>{{cite news |title=Protest Freeman herds sheep over Tower Bridge |work=[[BBC News]] |date=19 August 1999 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/425364.stm |access-date=6 November 2009 |archive-date=3 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903070530/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/425364.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Before dawn on 31 October 2003, a [[Fathers 4 Justice]] campaigner climbed a {{convert|100|ft|adj=on}} <!--BBC news sources variously state 100, 120 and 150ft!--> [[tower crane]] near Tower Bridge at the start of a six-day protest dressed as [[Spider-Man]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Spiderman protest closes Tower Bridge |website=[[BBC News]] |date=31 October 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3231281.stm |access-date=31 October 2008 |archive-date=11 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111122106/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3231281.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Fearing for his safety, and that of motorists should he fall, police cordoned off the area, closing the bridge and surrounding roads and causing widespread traffic congestion across the City and East London.<ref>{{cite news |title=Spiderman cordon criticised |website=[[BBC News]] |date=3 November 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3236541.stm |access-date=31 October 2008 |archive-date=11 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111165057/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3236541.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title={{-'}}Spiderman' cleared over protest |website=[[BBC News]] |date=14 May 2004 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3715273.stm |access-date=31 October 2008 |archive-date=11 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111122117/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3715273.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 11 May 2009, six people were trapped and injured after a lift fell {{convert|10|ft|m|0}} inside the north tower.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8044164.stm |title=Six injured in Tower Bridge lift |website=[[BBC News]] |date=11 May 2009 |access-date=14 September 2020 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109041644/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8044164.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 9 August 2021, the bridge remained open after a technical failure.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58149716 |title=London's Tower Bridge stuck open after technical failure |website=[[BBC News]] |date=9 August 2021 |access-date=9 August 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809160416/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58149716 |url-status=live }}</ref> The bridge had opened to let the [[Jubilee Sailing Trust|Jubilee Trust]] Tall Ship through from 2 p.m. before getting stuck.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tower-bridge-stuck-open-technical-fault-traffic-uk-b949870.html |title=Tower Bridge is stuck open after technical fault |access-date=9 August 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809150735/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tower-bridge-stuck-open-technical-fault-traffic-uk-b949870.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/tower-bridge-live-updates-bridge-21265964 |title=Tower Bridge reopens after 11 hours of being stuck open because of technical fault |work=MyLondon |publisher=Reach plc |access-date=9 August 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809143158/https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/tower-bridge-live-updates-bridge-21265964 |url-status=live }}</ref> The bridge was closed and reopened to traffic approximately 12 hours later.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58149716 |title=London's Tower Bridge reopens after technical failure |website=[[BBC News]] |date=9 August 2021 |access-date=10 August 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809212714/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58149716 |url-status=live }}</ref>