Life-threatening undertow: City warns of "danger of drowning" in Franconian pond
Created: 05/11/2022, 19:12
By: Tanja Kipke
The city of Erlangen prohibits any activities on and in the water of the Dechsendorfer Weiher.
At the moment there is a life-threatening undertow.
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In summer it is a popular destination in Middle Franconia: the Dechsendorfer Weiher.
There are lawns for sunbathing, a path around the lake, a sailing club and a windsurfing club.
Many people also go for a walk along the pond in autumn and winter.
Now, however, it is better to stay away, the city of Erlangen warns of the dangers in a message.
Dechsendorfer Weiher: City of Erlangen explains the background of the danger
"Since October 25th, any activity on and in the water has been prohibited," says a statement from the city of Erlangen this week.
The reason: There is a “danger of drowning”.
The Dechsendorfer Weiher, in the north of the Dechsendorf district of Erlangen, is currently being drained.
A popular destination in summer, a dangerous attraction in autumn. © Kai Foersterling/David Ebener/dpa (merkur.de-Collage)
“All the water is drawn off via a technical structure.
This creates a suction that can pull people under water,” warns the city.
Nobody is going to bathe in the pond anymore anyway, the temperatures have fallen to 10 degrees in the last few days.
But the suction can also be life-threatening when boating or stand-up paddle boarding (SUP).
The city has therefore put up appropriate signs at the pond to draw attention to this.
Number of bathing deaths in stand-up paddle boarding in Bavaria has increased
SUP has been a trend sport for several years.
In recent years, swimming accidents involving stand-up paddle boards have increased.
In 2022 alone, four people drowned while SUPing on Bavarian lakes.
"There tends to be more and more because there are more and more paddlers," said a spokesman for the Bavarian department of the water rescue organization DLRG at the beginning of September.
Non-swimmers and seniors are particularly affected.
The DLRG explains how you can easily increase safety with SUP.
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