"Rhine death trap": Presumably three people drowned

A 17-year-old and two girls want to swim in the Rhine and are swept away by the river.

The young woman is drowning, the children have disappeared.

Did the river become a “death trap” for them too?

Duisburg (dpa) - 30 degrees heat, sunshine on the river bank near Duisburg - the Rhine slowly flows past and promises to cool down.

If you go into the water without thinking too much, your life can be in acute danger in the next moment.

“The Rhine is a death trap,” warns the Duisburg police.

A 17-year-old from the industrial city was carried away by a current in the river while bathing on Wednesday afternoon, she drowned.

Two girls (13 and 14) who were in the water with her are missing.

They continued to be searched by boats, divers and helicopters on Thursday.

"The chance that they are still alive is almost zero," said a police spokeswoman in the afternoon.

Later that day, the police and fire brigade in Duisburg completely stopped their search.

"The search was unfortunately unsuccessful," said a fire department spokesman.

All of the bank areas in question had been searched again.

Divers were also used again.

The water police also stopped looking.

The dead and the two alleged victims come from the Duisburg district of Marxloh.

The police are still checking whether they were related to each other.

They had different surnames.

At the scene of the accident, very close to a large Thyssenkrupp steelworks, there were passers-by and grieving relatives on Wednesday evening and Thursday.

"You are shocked," says the police spokeswoman.

Victim carers would have helped the relatives.

Searching for hours

On Wednesday afternoon, other bathers called the fire brigade and reported the young woman's calls for help.

The fire brigade, police and DLRG rescuers then started an hour-long search operation with around 160 emergency services, two helicopters and several divers.

From the air, the 17-year-old was spotted in the water and rescued with a lifeboat. However, she died shortly afterwards despite attempts at resuscitation. The search continued for the two girls. It was only around 11 p.m. that the rescuers gave up with a heavy heart because of the darkness. This decision is "always very difficult for the emergency services," said a DLRG spokeswoman.

If the two girls should actually be dead, four people have already drowned in the Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia during the still young bathing season. Just a few days ago, a 29-year-old had an accident near the site of the accident in Rheinberg-Orsoy. The man had gone swimming in the river and after a few meters called for help, the police said, citing witnesses. He still tried to save himself on the bank, but then sank and was no longer seen. The body was found several kilometers to the northwest.

Swimming in the Rhine is life-threatening because of the strong currents and the high waves caused by the heavy cargo ships.

Even those who only stand up to their knees in the water can be drawn in by the unpredictable currents.

The chances of getting out alive are slim, the police warn again and again.

Warning of strong currents

“I have absolutely no understanding for parents who let their children play in the water on the bank.

That is - to put it clearly - sheer madness, ”says Michael Blankartz of the Duisburg water police.

During the search on Thursday even the professional divers were leashed to be on the safe side.

At the same time, despite all the warnings, you see families and children playing by the water and sometimes in the water, said the police spokeswoman. Suddenly there are dramas - like last summer also near the site of the accident. A four-year-old was pulled into the river by a wave on the bank. His twelve-year-old cousin jumped after, keeping his head above the water. Both children aborted and would not have had a chance - if a skipper hadn't followed him on his ferry, lowered the ramp and saved the children.

In this case a year ago there was a happy ending with completely exhausted children and relatives at the jetty crying with relief.

That is not to be expected this time.

As usual in these cases, the Duisburg-based company has already notified the Dutch authorities.

There, downstream, drowned people are often washed up.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210617-99-25581 / 9