- Drese warns of bathing accidents
On the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, two people have lost their lives in the Baltic Sea within a short period. On Sunday, rescue forces recovered the body of a 56-year-old man from the Baltic Sea near Boltenhagen in the district of Nordwestmecklenburg after police and rescue services searched for the bathers for several hours.
A witness discovered a lifeless person on the Baltic Sea shore of Markgrafenheide in Rostock on Monday morning. It is not yet certain whether this is the 45-year-old man who has been missing since Sunday evening. Identification is still pending. The 45-year-old was swept away by the current while swimming in the Baltic Sea with a friend on Sunday evening. One managed to get back to the shore, the other was carried away.
Social Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) appealed to locals and tourists not to underestimate the danger, to be cautious in the water, and to follow the warning signs: "Dangerous undercurrents are not visible to the untrained eye. Therefore, inexperienced swimmers and non-swimmers should not enter the water when the waves are high. And a general ban on bathing, indicated by red flags, should be strictly followed."
In the light of these recent incidents, authorities are considering strengthening rescue services in the Baltic Sea due to the alarmingly high number of emergencies. Despite the warning signs and Minister Drese's advice, another swimmer is reported missing this evening, adding to the growing sense of urgency.
