Father rescued four children from the water – then he disappeared

Drama at Lake Wolfgangsee: Father (41) brings his children to safety and suddenly goes under. © Screenshot Facebook/ Austrian Water Rescue Association Salzburg

A terrible tragedy occurred at Lake Wolfgang in Austria. A father died in a swimming accident while on vacation.

St. Gilgen – A Thunderstorm rolled on Thursday evening (1 August) at Lake Wolfgangsee (Austria) – a strong wind was blowing up. A holidaymaker (41) wanted to bring his children back to the shore. They were on a stand-up paddle board on the lake near Abersee (St. Gilgen). The 41-year-old father swam to the children with a friend to bring them to shore. But suddenly the man went under in the lake.

Drama at Lake Wolfgang: Father wants to bring children to safety from a storm and then suddenly disappears

“When the children were safely on the shore, there was no trace of the 41-year-old Czech,” the Austrian police said. He had disappeared when the second man was still looking for him, reports the Austrian portal oe24.atThe water rescue team was able to immediately initiate a search operation.

Sad end to a large-scale rescue and search operation

40 divers from the Salzburg State Water Rescue Service and fire service divers from the Upper Austrian Fire Service were deployed, searching for the missing man in the lake using a so-called “diving search chain”. It was only after several hours that divers from the fire service and water rescue service were able to rescue the man 15 meters from the shore, at a depth of eight meters.

Fatal swimming accident in Austria: Rescue divers search for a family father. © Screenshot Facebook/ Austrian Water Rescue Association Salzburg

A total of 100 emergency personnel from the water rescue service, fire brigade, Red Cross and police were involved in the rescue operation, according to the Facebook page of the Austrian Water Rescue Association of Salzburg. (ml)