Deadly bathing accidents in Bavaria: alarming numbers and tragedies

Deadly bathing accidents in Bavaria: alarming numbers and tragedies

A weekend of grief in Bavaria: In Swabia there were two tragic bathing accidents that strain the mind of all those affected. On Saturday, a 23-year-old jumped into a lake in Gundelfingen on the Danube (Dillingen district) of a diving tower, but the pleasure quickly tipped into misfortune. As the br , the young man was in need. A 22-year-old who tried to help him also found himself in the same predicament. Three other bathers were able to bring the 22-year-old ashore, but all help came too late for the 23-year-old. He was pulled out of the water by the water guard and immediately taken to the hospital, but where every life rescue measure failed.

The investigation by the Dillingen criminal police are running to clarify the exact background of this accident. A brief look at the statistics shows that the fund is high for such tragic incidents: in Germany in 2024 at least 253 people, which are 35 more than in the same period, such as the ZDF reports. In particular, old people and those with previous illnesses are often affected in these cases, since almost every third fatalities were over 71 years old.

fatal accident in backholz

The second bathing accident occurred in Rückholz (district of Ostallgäu), where an 84-year-old also drowned while swimming with her daughter. Rescue workers quickly came to initiate attempts at resuscitation, but here too, all help remained in vain. The circumstances around this incident are also examined by the responsible criminal police.

The last few weeks have already caused a sensation in Bavaria with a number of fatal bathing accidents in public. The lifeguards and water rescue workers had to intervene again and again during the Pentecost holidays. In the weekends, several people drowned in different waters. For example, a 79-year-old who went down in Staffelsee on Sunday will continue to be missing, while before that a 32 and 23-year-old in Lake Starnberg lost.

The DLRG has repeatedly pointed out the dangers of bathing in unusual waters in recent years. Ute Vogt, President of the DLRG, advises to avoid swimming in rivers, since the dangers such as currents and cold water are not always recognizable. Security instructions are crucial: life jackets should be worn, cold water is careful to enter and the enjoyment of alcohol and drugs has lost nothing when bathing.

With the rising temperatures and the beginning of midsummer, it is now up to visitors and residents to have a good hand and to become aware of the dangers that the water has. Stay safe and enjoy the bathing season!