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Düsseldorf plans to ban swimming in the Rhine: safety comes first!
Düsseldorf is planning a bathing ban in the Rhine to avoid accidents. New warnings and increased controls should help.
Düsseldorf plans to ban swimming in the Rhine: safety comes first!
In summer many people are drawn to the water, but this year there are serious concerns in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area. The city administration has made a clear appeal to the federal waterways and shipping administration: a complete ban on swimming in the Rhine is called for. The aim of this initiative is to prevent swimming accidents and to educate the public about the dangers posed by strong currents news894 reported.
The authorities are particularly concerned after the tragic incidents of the last few weeks. Five people were aborted in the Rhine in the last two weeks, and two of them could only be rescued from the water dead. The case of a six-year-old boy whose search was unsuccessful is particularly painful.
Measures to protect bathers
To counteract the dangers, the city is planning additional warnings, especially on Paradise Beach. Permanently installed metal signs are intended to replace the previous cardboard signs. The city also wants to provide more information via social networks and digital billboards. The police and public order office will be more present in heavily frequented sections of the Rhine in order to raise awareness among bathers. More intensive cooperation with the DLRG should help to develop new security concepts.
A look at the conditions also shows why swimming in the Rhine is so dangerous. The Rhine is a fast-flowing, busy waterway and not a controlled swimming pool. There is a strict ban on swimming in port areas, ship docks and bridge areas, such as DLRG highlights. Unpredictable currents are particularly dangerous and can overwhelm even good swimmers. Parents should always keep an eye on their children on and in the water, as dangers lurk even in shallow water.
- Schwimmen im Rhein ist in folgenden Bereichen verboten:
- Hafenbereichen
- Schiffs- und Fährlandestellen
- Schleusen
- Vorhäfen
- Umschlagstellen
- Werften
A worrying trend
The sad reality is that the number of drowning accidents in Germany is increasing. In 2023, the DLRG recorded at least 411 fatal accidents in waterways, an increase of 31 compared to the previous year. DLRG President Ute Vogt expressed the hope that these numbers will make people more aware of the dangers in water, especially with a view to the warm weeks ahead. Groups at particular risk, such as parents with small children, should be specifically informed in the next few months in order to raise awareness of potential risks DLRG.
In view of this situation, it is urgently necessary to strengthen security measures around the Rhine and, above all, to inform bathers about the risks. Swimming in the Rhine can quickly become a life-threatening situation, and everyone who plans to spend time near or in the water should be aware of this.