Female almost drowns when swimming in the Rhine, male still unaccounted for
A family in Düsseldorf experiences a tragic incident while bathing in the Rhine: The mother is carried away by the river's current in front of her children, and her husband tries to save her but also gets swept under.
A woman in her early thirties and her husband were among several people who got caught in a strong current while swimming in the Rhine in Düsseldorf. The local fire department shared the details of the incident later in the evening. The woman was swiftly whisked away by the current. Hearing her cry out for help, her husband and another relative jumped into the water, aiming to rescue her. However, all three of them got caught in the current.
Luckily, one of the rescuers managed to pull himself out of the water unharmed. The woman was later rescued and found to be lifeless, but once emergency paramedics and a doctor arrived at the scene, they began emergency measures to revive her. She was then taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, her husband, who had quickly rushed to her aid, was declared missing. The fire department announced on Monday morning that they had called off the search for the 34-year-old husband, as his chances of survival were not high. Meanwhile, emergency counselors took care of the couple's children at the river bank.
During the search operation, a man was spotted by rescuers in a helicopter, clinging to an object in the water. Luckily, this person was unharmed.
The fire department cautioned against swimming in the Rhine, highlighting the presence of dangerous currents, especially at locations called Kribben or Buhnen-- areas where gravel protrudes into the water. They also warned of the strong currents that form in the fairway. Swimming in some zones on the river is even banned, and Düsseldorf has posted several signs in multiple languages to warn against it. The NRW police reported that the Rhine flows at a speed of three to twelve kilometers per hour, depending on water level and location.
Remember, swimming in the Rhine can be extremely dangerous, even for experienced swimmers who might end up further away from where they entered than they expected.
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In light of this incident, the German authorities issued an international warning about swimming in the Rhine, especially in areas like Kribben and Buhnen, due to the dangerous currents. Despite the misfortunes experienced by the family in Düsseldorf, the Rhine continues to attract visitors from around the world, highlighting the need for increased safety measures.
Source: www.ntv.de
