Four stand-up paddlers drowned in Bavaria in 2022: Two groups were particularly affected - DLRG concerned
Created: 09/05/2022 05:04
By: Katarina Amtmann
There are more and more stand-up paddlers - and therefore more accidents (archive image).
© IMAGO / Jochen Eckel
Four stand-up paddlers have already drowned in Bavaria this year, most recently a 16-year-old on Lake Ammer.
The DLRG is concerned and makes recommendations.
Munich – You can see them on the Bavarian lakes for years: stand-up paddlers.
However, due to the increasing number alone, there are also more and more accidents, including fatal ones.
The German Life Saving Society is concerned.
Four stand-up paddlers drowned in Bavaria in 2022 - DLRG worried
At least four people have died stand-up paddling (SUP) on Bavarian lakes this year alone.
In addition to the case of Lake Ammer last week, there was one death each at Lake Starnberg, Lake Murner (Schwandorf district) and Lake Weißenstädter (Wunsiedel district).
That said a spokesman for the Bavarian department of the water rescue organization DLRG.
"There tends to be more and more because there are more and more paddlers." Accordingly, the German Life Saving Society is very concerned.
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From the point of view of the association, the two groups most affected are non-swimmers and seniors who have health problems on the water.
Even when the Ammersee fell, the 16-year-old could not swim, the spokesman said.
According to the police, the teenager had already gone down several 100 meters from the north bank on Friday evening.
The body was only located on Sunday afternoon and recovered by divers.
16-year-old drowned in SUP accident at Ammersee
Stand-up paddler drowned in Bavaria - DLRG with recommendations
The DLRG recommends that paddlers always wear a life jacket and a so-called leash.
This safety line connects the board to the paddler and prevents it from floating away on calm waters.
You should always be at least two people and paddle along the shoreline if possible.
So far, around 50 people have drowned in Bavaria in 2022, the spokesman said.
The figures, which tended to be higher compared to the same period last year, were also related to the good bathing weather - "more people simply go into the water".
In the whole of 2021, 60 people drowned in Bavaria's rivers, lakes and other bodies of water, more than in any other federal state.
(came/dpa)
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