Accident on the Rhine - Wakeboardist hit ship's propeller - seriously injured
A young woman was caught in a boat propeller while wakeboarding and suffered serious injuries. According to police reports, the watersports enthusiast was being towed on the Rhine near Rheinmünster in the district of Rastatt by a speedboat. As the boat started, the 25-year-old was presumably too close to the propeller and was struck by it, as a police spokeswoman explained.
The injured woman was rescued from the water by the boat's crew on Tuesday and brought to shore. She was then airlifted to a hospital by a rescue helicopter. Investigators are treating the incident as an accident.
Wakeboarding involves sportsmen being towed through the water on a rope behind a fast boat or water ski lift. The feet are often strapped to the board. Wakeboarding is an alternative to water skiing.
Police Statement
The wakeboarding accident occurred on the Rhine, a notable river in Europe. Despite the incident, wakeboarding continues to be a popular watersport along the Rhine's scenic waterways.
