Dramatic scenes at Walchensee: couple of vacationers surprised by storm front - "as if swallowed"

Created: 07/01/2022 15:19

By: Christiane Mühlbauer

Two members of the Walchensee water rescue service saved the lives of two people during a storm on Thursday.

The photo shows an archive image.

© arp

During a dramatic rescue operation, two members of the Walchensee water rescue service saved a couple from drowning on Thursday evening.

The helpers put themselves in danger.

Walchensee – The Walchensee is known for the fact that the weather can change within a few minutes, and that dangerous situations can then quickly arise for bathers and water sports enthusiasts.

But it happens again and again that the force of nature is underestimated - including early Thursday evening.

As early as 5 p.m., a storm front had moved across the lake from the direction of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

A second was announced, but in between the weather conditions had eased briefly, reports Alois Grünwald, head of the water rescue service.

Storm was “like the end of the world”

A man (40) and a woman (32) from Munich, both only speaking English, wanted to take their stand-up boards from midgets to the bathing area near the Bucherer beach café after the first front had passed.

"They saw the storm warning, but thought they could make it," reports Grünwald of the conversation with the two after the dramatic operation.

Water sports enthusiasts discover two Lake Walchens just in time

But the storm came faster and was more violent than expected.

In the middle of the lake, the two got into mortal danger.

"The second storm front at 5.30 p.m. felt like the end of the world here," says Grünwald about the driving rain, the lightning, thunder and wind.

"We had waves one and a half meters high on the lake." Nothing would have been known about the people on the lake if two people from Walchensee - one of them, Constantin Lutz, is a member of the water rescue service - hadn't accidentally discovered them in the oncoming storm.

The men called the rescue team.

“It was brutal on the lake”

Grünwald and Lutz went in search in the boat.

Grünwald says they were aware of the danger to their own lives.

"But we knew: There are two people who need help." It was "brutal" on the lake: "We didn't see ten meters away." The two missing people were "swallowed": "We didn't know where it drove them there.” After a few minutes, they spotted them about half a mile from shore.

"It drove them further and further out into the lake."

Lifeboat fills up with water

At the time, Grünwald and Lutz did not know that the two victims did not speak German.

They threw rescue bags at them, but the man and woman couldn't get hold of them at first.

"The waves and the wind were so strong that we had to circle them again with the boat," says Grünwald.

It finally worked, so the lifeguards were able to pull the couple into the lifeboat.

At the time, due to the storm and the high waves, this was already 30 centimeters full of water.

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The boards of the two water sports enthusiasts in the rescue station.

© Wasserwacht Walchensee

No one was injured in the rescue operation

Without injuries, but hypothermic and in shock, the two water sports enthusiasts were taken to the rescue station.

Nothing happened to the two rescuers either.

"It was one of our most demanding missions," says Grünwald.

In the ward, the couple underwent a medical examination and were given blankets and dry clothing.

Then we talked together about what had happened.

"Both were incredibly grateful.

They knew the danger they had been in.”.

The couple later drove home on their own.

“You should never underestimate the weather at Walchensee”

The lifeguards were also able to pull the boards into the lifeboat.

"During the storm they had been clever enough to hang the boards together," says Grünwald.

Otherwise they would have been driven apart and separated by wind and waves - possibly with a fatal outcome.

Grünwald is happy that the mission had a happy ending for everyone.

"This shows once again that you should never underestimate the weather at Walchensee."

By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Bad Tölz newsletter.