42-year-old father drowns after saving two children from sea at Międzywodzie beach
A 42-year-old man died on Sunday afternoon after entering the water to rescue his two children, who had drifted from shore near Międzywodzie. He managed to push them to safety before being submerged.
A father's sacrifice
A 42-year-old man lost his life in the Baltic Sea on Sunday afternoon after entering the water to rescue his two children at an unguarded beach in Międzywodzie. The children had drifted away from the shore and were in danger of drowning. Their father rushed in, managed to push them to safety, but was overcome by a wave and vanished beneath the surface.
Rescue efforts and outcome
The Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR) and volunteer water rescue (WOPR) teams were called to the scene around 2:50 p.m. A helicopter from the Polish Medical Air Rescue (LPR) was also deployed. Rescuers from the SAR coastal station in Dziwnów pulled the man from the water at 3:26 p.m.
Rescuers from the SAR Coastal Rescue Station in Dziwnów retrieved the 42-year-old man from the sea around 3:26 p.m. and handed him over to the crew of the Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter. Resuscitation was started immediately and lasted several dozen minutes. Unfortunately, the man's life could not be saved.
Police spokesperson Izabela Kik said the children were unharmed. She explained that the father noticed his children dangerously moving away from the shore and went after them to bring them to safety, but during the return he went under water.
- SAR receives report of missing man at Międzywodzie
- Rescuers retrieve the 42-year-old from the sea
- Call for missing swimmer in Darłowo
Second incident in Darłowo
Shortly after the Międzywodzie tragedy, SAR teams were alerted to another swimmer in distress at Darłowo. A 58-year-old man disappeared after entering the sea and remained underwater for at least ten minutes. He was found, resuscitated, and transported by helicopter to the hospital in Koszalin. His condition was not immediately known.
A deadly start to the summer season
The two serious incidents came on a day when the SAR service had already logged 222 interventions by 2:00 p.m., many involving heat exhaustion or other potential hazards. The season has proved dangerous across Poland: the Government Security Centre reported that 78 people have drowned in the country since 1 April.
People, rest safely! Remember that guarded bathing areas in many places only start operating from July 1.
Kluska, director of the Maritime Search and Rescue Service, urged beachgoers to use the emergency number 985 when in danger at the seaside, cautioning that many supervised beaches would not open until 1 July.
