Rescue at the Aquarius lake: 22-year-old still missing!
Rescue at the Aquarius lake: 22-year-old still missing!
In the early Thursday morning, June 12, 2025, the rescue workers were alerted in the Wassermannsee in Cologne when residents heard calls for help. A 24-year-old woman was saved from the cold water of the lake and brought to the university clinic with hypothermia. The emergency services were quickly on site and were able to bring the woman to the bank. But while the young woman's rescue succeeded, a 22-year-old man from Cologne remains missing. Notes indicate that he was also in the water after both of them had gone swimming in the dark. The incident occurred despite the bathing ban on the Wassermannsee, such as RTL reported.
In the course of the search, which was supported by the DLRG, the fire brigade and volunteers, helicopters, drones, divers and sonar devices were used. The DRK rescue dog squadron was also alerted to support. The view under water was severely restricted due to the strong growth and the depth of up to ten meters, often it was less than half a meter. This shows again the risk of water, which is often underestimated among the population. The use of specialists from the missing person position illustrates how serious the situation is. Early inspections showed that personal items such as clothing, a wallet and a cell phone were found on the bank that could be assigned to the missing man.
search action and investigation
The fire brigade hired its search at 10 a.m. and handed over the site to the police. So far there is no evidence of external debt. The criminal police then started the investigation and currently evaluates testimonies. It is unclear what pulled the man and the woman into the water at night. Another aspect that puts the events in a darker light: there are signs that both may have been under alcohol and/or narcotics. [Express] (https://www.express.de/koeln/koeln-vogelsang rescue kraefte-suchen-mann-in-ssee-1042655) reports that the reasons for nightly swimming could not yet be determined.
increase in bathing accidents
In view of the tragic events, there is also a terrifying trend. In 2024, at least 253 people were already drowning in Germany, which corresponds to 35 more than in the previous year. Lakes where 77 people lost their lives are particularly affected. [ZDF] (https://www.zdfheute.de/panorama/ertrinken-dlrg-statistik-statistik-wimmen-bade accident-water rescue-100.html) warns of the dangers in water that are often underestimated. The DLRG advises both experienced and inexperienced swimmers to only bathe in guarded areas and not ignore the risks of drugs and alcohol before swimming.It remains to be hoped that the missing man will be found quickly and the circumstances that led to this incident can soon be informed.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Wassermannsee, Köln, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |