German father, child presumed dead in canoe accident; Mother, daughter rescued
A German man and his child are presumed dead after their family had a tragic accident on the Veluwemeer, the Coast Guard told Omroep Flevoland. The two were canoeing on the Flevoland lake along with the mother and young daughter of the family when the canoe capsized. The mother’s condition was not disclosed, but the young girl was in good health.
Authorities were first notified that something had gone terribly wrong at about 3 p.m. The adult woman and her daughter were found in the water south of De Ral, a small island in the lake.
The seven year old girl was rescued from a boei in good condition. Her mother required CPR and was revived, but her medical condition was not released. Their canoe was found west of there, washed ashore on De Snip, another island about 600 meters away.
Emergency crews continued to search for the father and son, but the search was called off by 5:30 p.m. They will shift their focus to finding and recovering their bodies.
Several different agencies were deployed to the lake, the broadcaster reported. Four helicopters responded to the scene, including police and Coast Guard units to join the search. Two trauma teams were also dispatched by air. A Rijkswaterstaat boat with a sonar installation also searched the lake.
