A gigantic sinkhole has emerged in a Shropshire canal, stranding two boats in thick mud and leading emergency services to announce a “major incident.”

An image from the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service captures the scene with two canal boats ensnared in the sinkhole, which spans approximately 50 by 50 meters, while a third vessel teeters on the edge.

Canal boats, traditionally used for cargo transport across Britain’s intricate canal network, have transformed into floating residences and leisure crafts over the years.

Emergency crews attended to a “significant breach” in the Shropshire Union Canal in Whitchurch, a historic town roughly 270 kilometers northwest of London near the Welsh border, as reported by the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service on Monday.

The “major incident” was announced at 5:17 am (6:17 pm AEDT), but the situation has since stabilized, according to Scott Hurford, an area manager with the service. He confirmed that search and rescue operations have concluded.

Thankfully, it seems no one was aboard the stranded boats, and there have been no reports of injuries, Hurford added.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said rescue crews had been working in challenging conditions due to unstable ground and “rapidly moving water”, but managed to bring more than 10 members of the public to safety. The service didn’t provide further information about those people.

Emergency services asked the public to avoid the area while teams continue to deal with the incident.

The Canal and River Trust, the largest canal charity in the United Kingdom, said on Monday that it was carrying out “initial investigations into the possible cause of the breach and will provide more details in due course”.

“Our teams are on site and have dammed off the affected section of (the) canal. The priority is the safety of boaters and those in the immediate area,” the charity said in a statement.