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Drama on the Danube: Policewoman reports onlookers after rescue operation!
On December 28, 2025, a drunk man fell into the Danube in Passau. Passers-by and firefighters rescued him while a spectator filmed the action. Police are investigating the filmmaker for violating personal rights.
Drama on the Danube: Policewoman reports onlookers after rescue operation!
On the night of Sunday, December 28, 2025, a tragic incident occurred in Passau. A 47-year-old man falls drunk into the cold Danube at a boat dock while he was doing his business. The man, who was significantly intoxicated, fell into the current and needed help. A 24-year-old woman heard his cries for help and acted quickly: she called the emergency number and alerted the rescue workers, while passers-by were already throwing a swimming ring into the water to make it easier for the man to survive. The fire department was finally able to rescue him from the Danube; Nevertheless, the man suffered from hypothermia and had to be taken to the hospital. However, how long he had been in the water is unknown.
But there was another worrying aspect during the dramatic rescue operation: a 22-year-old passer-by filmed the event with her cell phone from the bank. This decision was not well received by the police officers. They filed a complaint against the woman because they found the recordings to be “exhibiting the helplessness of another person.” This incident is just another example of the increasing level of gawking in emergency situations, which not only puts a strain on emergency responders, but also disrespects the dignity of those affected. The [Süddeutsche] reports that emergency locations are usually visited out of sensational curiosity to take pictures.
Sensationalism in focus
Gawking is now a serious problem in emergency services. A survey among emergency services employees of the German Red Cross (DRK) shows that more and more people are going directly to emergency scenes out of curiosity to take videos or pictures. Helmut Gels, President of the Oldenburg Regional Association, points out that filming emergencies is in fact a criminal offense. Only the legislature reacted to this with a new version of §201a StGB in 2004, which protects personal rights. Since January 2021, it has even been a criminal offense to take pictures or videos of deceased people, which can be punished with a fine or imprisonment.
This development not only puts additional strain on emergency services, but also shows a worrying trend in society: an increasing lack of understanding for the plight of other people. Emergency services must not only ensure the rescue of those affected, but also continually try to maintain their personal boundaries and prevent the onlookers from taking photos. Measures such as the “HELFEN instead of GAFFEN” campaign should therefore be more widely publicized in the future. [Augsburger Allgemeine] reports on the clear need to make the population aware of the consequences of gaffing.
In conclusion, it can be said that an incident like the one in Passau once again raises the question: Where is humanity? In times when filming tragedies has become the norm, we must recognize our responsibility and put people's dignity first.