A man from the Czech Republic drowned in the Austrian Lake Wolfgangsee on Thursday when he wanted to help four children out of the water due to an approaching storm. The Austrian public radio and television (ORF) informs about this on its website today.
The embassy in Vienna was contacted by the Austrian rescue service regarding the accident on Lake Wolfgangsee, where a Czech citizen drowned, Daniel Drake, spokesman for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told ČTK. “The unfortunate event should have happened at the campsite where he was spending his vacation with his family. The embassy is in contact with the family,” the spokesman added.
Children from two families were on the lake near the village of Abersee with a paddleboard. But the waves were carrying them away. The 42-year-old father swam to them, but suddenly disappeared in the water. Other people staying at the lake took care of the children.
40 divers, 40 water rescuers and 80 firefighters from Salzburg and Upper Austria took part in the search and rescue operation. “We searched the water area on boats, with the deployment of drones and also a helicopter. Underwater, divers searched at a depth of 33 meters,” described water rescuer Michael Pacher. The man was found at a depth of eight meters, about 15 meters from the shore.
The police and the Red Cross intervention team were also at the scene of the accident.
