- Man missing in Danube - long search
A person who went missing while swimming in the Danube in Ulm is still missing. They were reportedly swimming with a small group late on Friday afternoon, according to a spokesperson for the German Life-Saving Association (DLRG). Witnesses allegedly saw the person go under at that time. A search operation has been ongoing since Friday evening, but it has so far yielded no results. Neither the gender nor the age of the person has been released by the police.
The DLRG was on the scene with boats and divers. A suspected human body was seen on a sonar device, the spokesperson said. However, the search had to be temporarily suspended on Friday evening due to the strong current of the Danube. Any sighting on the sonar is only a snapshot in time, explained the DLRG spokesperson, as the body could have already been carried away by the time the divers reach the spot.
On Saturday morning, the police searched the banks by helicopter without success. In the afternoon, the DLRG was back on the scene with a boat. Many onlookers watched the search operation, according to a dpa photographer. Due to a thunderstorm, they took shelter under the bridge where the DLRG was operating. There were already many watersports enthusiasts back on the water with inflatable boats or stand-up paddleboards.
The mood in Ulm is somber. Many have read about the incident in the newspaper and are now watching the search efforts. The DLRG suspended its search again in the evening and will resume on Sunday morning. Given that the missing person has been underwater for over 24 hours, it is very unlikely that they will be found alive, a police spokesperson said.
The German Life-Saving Association (DLRG) was initially called to the scene in Bavaria, as the missing swimmer was reportedly in the Danube that borders Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Despite seeing a potential sighting on the sonar, the strong current of the Danube in Bavaria made it challenging for divers to reach the spot.
