Drama on the North Sea coast: For four vacationers, the supposedly harmless cooling in the sea ends fatally at the weekend. In one place in particular, urgent warnings apply to bathers - and also to Germans. However, these warnings are usually ignored - with fatal consequences.
- Midsummer temperatures attract thousands of vacationers to the North Sea .
- But deadly dangers lurk in the waves that many are not aware of.
- Four people are killed in a popular resort over the weekend (August 8th and 9th) .
The Hague - With the current peak temperatures in the north , many holidaymakers are drawn to the coast. 24hamburg.de * already reported on the overcrowded beaches on the North and Baltic Seas. * Many day trippers also traveled to the Dutch coast on the weekend of August 8th and 9th . However, tragic scenes took place there: four men were killed in the sea .
| sea | North Sea |
| Middle deep | 95 m |
| surface | 575,000 km² |
| Maximum depth | 700 m |
| Affiliated seas | via Kattegat to the Baltic Sea |
| location | Northwest Europe |
| Islands | Nista |
North Sea: four bathers die in the sea in the Netherlands - rescue brigade in constant action
There are currently fatal dangers lurking in the North Sea for bathers, which many underestimate. (Symbol image)
© Ingo Wagner / dpa / picture alliance
According to the Rescue Brigade The Hague, the hot, stormy weather on the Dutch beaches created "a treacherous sea" and caused dangerous currents in the sea . The emergency services therefore urgently recommend bathing guests to only go knee-deep into the sea - the currents and the strong wind continued.
Many beach visitors near The Hague held at the weekend to the August 8 and 9 , however, can not take the warnings of the rescue brigade and went despite strong gusts of air mattresses into the sea . Many bathers also ignored swimming bans . The fact that the tourists on the beaches close to each pushing, were able to rescue workers their use also perform limited.
Tips for safe swimming in the sea
- Travel-Infopoint.de (@Travelinfopoint) January 20, 2017The recklessness of many bathers was not without consequences: about 270 people had to rescue workers on Sunday, August 9 , from the sea help because they in the water had fallen on hard times . 57 of them were dependent on first aid .
For four people , the walk into the sea on the weekend even ended fatally. According to information from the German Press Agency (dpa), two young men (24.28) died on the beach in The Hague , two more, aged around 50 and in their late twenties, died in Wijk aan Zee / Zandvoort . All victims drowned in the water because they had no chance against the unpredictable currents in the sea .
Dangerous currents in the North Sea: this is what bathers should know
The German Life Rescue Society ( DLRG ) also warns of dangerous currents in the North Sea and gives tips on how bathers should best behave in an emergency. If swimmers get caught in a current , they should not swim against it. “That is exhausting and rarely leads to success,” writes the DLRG on its website.
Instead, advises the organization to come up with de r flow to drift slowly while trying to slant and move with the flow to shore. This is the "safest way" to escape a dangerous current . Should the physical strength decrease and exhaustion threatens, one should lie on the back and let himself drift forward with his feet. The arms can then be used to try to go in the right direction. Any other dangers such as bridge piers, rocks, bushes or trees should of course be kept in mind. * 24hamburg.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.
List of rubric lists: © Ingo Wagner / dpa / picture alliance