Two corpses found in Lake Constance.
The Bodensee, Germany's largest inland lake, is notorious for its characteristics that often prevent drowned individuals from resurfacing. Over the course of a single day, two lifeless bodies were discovered within its depths. On Saturday evening, a group of kayakers stumbled upon a deceased woman in the water between Hard in Bregenz, Austria, and Lindau, Germany. The local authorities, including water police, water rescue, and fire department, were notified and recovered the body. At the time, they could not provide any details about the woman's identity or the circumstances surrounding her death.
According to reports, the kayakers found the body among debris, and a single shoe seemed to suggest she hadn't been swimming in the Bodensee. It was believed that the body had been in the lake for several months, but the police opted to wait for the autopsy to confirm this.
Earlier in the day, a boat driver had discovered a deceased man in the lake and contacted the authorities. The Austrian fire department recovered the body, but since the discovery site was on German soil near the New Rhine's mouth, the body was handed over to the German authorities, as stated by a spokesperson for the water police.
The authorities do not believe that either of the bodies found are connected to a search operation held near the Austrian-Swiss border at Lustenau on Friday, where clothing items were found on the shore. The spokesperson attributed this mainly to the clothes worn by the bodies.
Covering an area of 563 square kilometers and stretching 63 kilometers, the Bodensee is Germany's largest inland lake. Though it is a standing body of water, it has dangerous areas. The most concerning is when the shallow water near the shore suddenly drops several meters, posing a danger. With a depth of up to 250 meters, the associated water pressure, and the low temperatures, a drowned person would not initially resurface due to the conditions. In 2019, the water police estimated that approximately 100 bodies still lay undiscovered in the Bodensee.
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Following the discovery of two bodies in Lake Constance, concerns about swimming safety in the international waters have risen. Despite being a popular destination for water activities, the lake's unique characteristics, such as sudden drops in shallow water and low temperatures, have led to several misfortunes and reported deaths.
The International Swimming Federation might consider issuing safety advisories for swimmers and lake visitors, emphasizing the importance of swimming in designated areas and adhering to local safety guidelines in an effort to prevent additional deaths and misfortunes on Lake Constance.
