A swan welfare charity has said a boat race on the River Thames in Reading during which two cygnets were struck and killed could have been halted to prevent the tragedy.
Swan Support said it believed there had been “an opportunity” for racing to be stopped and for crews to take evasive action during the incident at the Reading Amateur Regatta on Saturday.
The annual regatta takes place on the Thames alongside Reading’s promenade near Caversham Bridge and has been held since 1842.
In a statement, Swan Support said organisers operating under Environment Agency licences had a responsibility to put measures in place to protect wildlife using the river.
The charity said it had agreed before the event that volunteers would attend to provide visibility and support.
“Under normal circumstances, we would seek to deploy additional volunteers and resources such as boats,” a spokesperson said.
“We were advised that marshals and other agreed measures would be in place; however, it appears that some of these arrangements were not implemented as anticipated.”
The charity said discussions were continuing with organisers and authorities to establish exactly what happened.
Regatta organisers said extensive planning had taken place before the event, with measures developed following advice from Swan Support.
These included using launches to encourage waterfowl away from racing lanes, asking spectators not to feed birds along the course, relocating wildlife considered at risk to designated holding areas and stopping races when there was an immediate danger of collision.
Organisers said Swan Support volunteers had been present on both days of the event and had provided valuable assistance.
“Additional measures were put in place on the second day,” a spokesperson said.
“We deeply regret that, despite these efforts, this incident occurred.”
The organising committee said it was working closely with Swan Support, British Rowing and the Environment Agency on a review to understand the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identify any lessons for future events.
The Environment Agency said any investigation into the incident would be a matter for Thames Valley Police.
Swan Support confirmed the swan family involved had since been returned to the area and that five cygnets remained.
