Fatal swimming accident: 20-year-old drowns in Lake Emmering

Fatal swimming accident: 20-year-old drowns in Lake Emmering

On June 20, 2025, a swimming accident tragically occurred at Lake Emmeringer, in which a 20-year-old man lost his life. The young man, who was registered in an asylum accommodation in Ingolstadt, lived in the Bruck area and had come to the lake with friends to swim. During his stay, it is suspected that he took part in a swimming competition - including a friend who was also not an experienced swimmer. This may have ultimately led to the disastrous accident as the man got into trouble in the water and drowned.

The rescue control center received the emergency call at around 2:40 p.m. and an extensive emergency team, consisting of around 25 personnel from the water rescue service and fire department, as well as a helicopter, was mobilized. The man's lifeless body was found after about 20 minutes, but despite immediate resuscitation measures, he died in hospital around 4 p.m. The criminal police in Fürstenfeldbruck have started investigating the incident, while Manfred Frei, the head of the criminal investigation department, urgently warns non-swimmers against swimming in deep waters.

A worrying accumulation

There have already been several fatal swimming accidents in the area this year. This includes two deaths at Lake Starnberg and one drowning in Karlsfeld. Florian Heininger, technical manager of the Fürstenfeldbruck district water rescue service, said that the reasons for the increase in accidents among non-swimmers were unclear. However, it should be noted that particularly high temperatures in combination with cold water can cause health problems such as circulatory problems, which can quickly become fatal in a swimming accident situation. Lake Emmeringer currently has a water temperature of 17 to 18 degrees.

Since 2015, there has been a multilingual warning sign on Lake Emmering that points out the danger to life for non-swimmers. This measure was intended to raise awareness, but the trend in swimming accidents in the region shows that more education and caution are needed.

A sad trend in Germany

A look at the nationwide statistics confirms the worrying situation: The German Life Saving Society (DLRG) recorded at least 411 fatal accidents in waters in Germany in 2023, 31 more than in the previous year. An increase in drownings was recorded for the third time in a row. DLRG President Ute Vogt hopes that these developments will raise people's awareness. Parents of small children in particular should be made aware of the dangers of bathing in the coming months.

The tragic cases at Lake Emmering highlight the need to raise awareness of swimming skills and emphasize the dangers of swimming in deep water. Everyone is called upon to handle the circumstances responsibly and to pay particular attention to the safety of swimmers.

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