Man who drowned during Aalsmeer boat show was from Poland

The victim who drowned Saturday evening during an annual illuminated boat show on a lake in Aalsmeer was identified as a man from Poland. He had gone swimming with a woman in the dark waters of the Westeinderplassen.

Witnesses saw the man disappear underwater, and he did not resurface, the municipality of Aalsmeer announced on Sunday. The woman did make it back to the beach.

The incident happened during the Vuur en Licht event on the water. Several thousand people watched the illuminated boats pass by on the Westeinderplassen, the municipality said. A fireworks show brought the event to a close.

The accident occurred in the lake near Surfeiland, according to the municipality. Police previously said emergency services were alerted at around 11 p.m. A body was eventually recovered from the water after an extensive search.

A toxicology report will determine whether alcohol was involved, the municipality said. The municipality called the drowning a “very tragic outcome of a risky swimming action."

Aalsmeer Mayor Gido Oude Kotte described the incident as an incredibly sad event during a celebration that Aalsmeer and the surrounding area look forward to all year.

“I cannot emphasize enough that swimming at night in the dark waters of the Westeinderplassen carries great risks. As a result, a human life has now been lost,” he said.