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Bodies found in the Rhine: Police investigate after shocking discoveries
Two bodies were found in the Rhine within two days. Police warn of swimming dangers and are investigating the circumstances.
Bodies found in the Rhine: Police investigate after shocking discoveries
On Tuesday evening, June 24th, the body of a man was discovered in the Rhine near Voerde in the Wesel district. An attentive Dutch skipper alerted the police to the lifeless body. This marks the second body found in just two days, after another body was found in the water the previous day. The location is near Rhine kilometer 802, more precisely at the NATO ramp. The investigation into the identity and circumstances of his death is currently in full swing.
The criminal police have ordered an autopsy of the body in order to gain possible clues to the man's identity. According to ksta.de, three people are missing after swimming accidents in the Rhine near Cologne and Düsseldorf, which only increases concerns about safety in and around the water. Search operations have already been canceled in Düsseldorf and Cologne-Deutz, unfortunately without success.
The dangers of the Rhine
The police, the city of Cologne and the DLRG warn urgently about the dangers that lurk when swimming in the Rhine. It becomes clear again and again that swimming in the often rapid currents of the Rhine can have fatal consequences. Last year, over 20 people drowned in rivers in North Rhine-Westphalia, with a large proportion of fatal swimming accidents occurring in the Rhine. A shocking example; In May, a man drowned while trying to save his wife, who was carried away by the current and was seriously injured (wdr.de).
The Düsseldorf fire department recently carried out a rescue exercise on the banks of the Rhine to draw attention to the dangers. In this scenario, a person was in danger in the water and had to be found and rescued quickly. Fire brigade spokesman Vieten emphasizes how important it is to carry out such exercises in order to raise awareness of the dangers of the Rhine. Swimming is only permitted in designated areas, but even there there can be danger to life.
Past incidents
The recent discovery of bodies in the Rhine casts a shadow over the overall tragic events that plagued the river last August, when two women drowned in the Rhine near Hohentengen. According to suedkurier.de, the two women, who were considered non-swimmers, slipped into the water while they were on the shore. A large-scale search operation was unsuccessful and the bodies were only found on August 7th and 8th.
The Rhine remains a popular destination, particularly in warm weather, but the danger posed by its currents should never be underestimated. Anyone who ventures onto its shores should take the warnings seriously and exercise caution.