Renewed search effort for missing swimmer underway

On Wednesday the rescue brigade and coast guard searched the sea in Zandvoort for hours in vain for a swimmer who had disappeared into the water. The search was called of around 11:00 p.m. and relaunched this morning. The Coast Guard believed that the around 20 year old woman has drowned. The woman, who may have a mental disability, got into trouble around 2:15 p.m. at the height of the Zout beach bar, AD reports. Two swimmers tried to get her out of the ocean, but their efforts were in vain. The alarm was sounded. Beach visitors formed a chain in the water in an attempt to find the woman. The coast guard, the rescue brigade and the Foundation Finding Equipment for Drowners, part of the National Underwater Searches team, joined the search. Eight boats of the Royal Dutch Rescue society Zandvoort and Ijmuiden and several rescue boats sailed out. Sonar equipment was used to look for the woman. A coast guard airplane and a rescue helicopter were also used. An ambulance stood ready. About an hour and a half later the search was scaled down as there was no chance of the girl still being alive. The search for her body was called off at around 11:00 p.m. and relaunched on Thursday morning.

#zandvoort Badgasten in actie! pic.twitter.com/0AFLqXD3K9

— Herb van der Giessen (@HerbvdGiessen) August 5, 2015

#zandvoort, op dit moment is de zoekactie gestaakt. Helaas heeft de @knrm niemand gevonden. Morgen ochtend gaat de zoekactie weer verder.

— BRW Kennemerland (@BrandweerKen) August 5, 2015

https://twitter.com/POL_StrandNHBZ/status/629036668935360517

Zoekactie Zandvoort door alle aanwezige hulpverleners voor nu beëindigd. Helaas geen resultaat. Morgen meer nieuws over het vervolg.

— KNRM (@KNRM) August 5, 2015