Father drowns while swimming with son in Rotterdam lake

A 42-year-old man drowned in the Zevenhuizerplas in Rotterdam on Monday. He was swimming with his teenage son when he disappeared under water, NOS reports.

The boy tried to save him, but to no avail. Emergency services pulled the Bleiswijk man's body out of the water after a 20 minute search. The emergency services believe that the man became exhausted while swimming and couldn't make it back to the shore.

A total of nine people drowned so far this summer, two in the sea and seven people in recreation lakes and rivers, according to the broadcaster. On average eight people die while swimming in open water in the Netherlands per year.

Another 76 people were saved from drowning so far this season, the rescue brigade reports. Last week alone 30 swimmers were rescued along the North Sea coast. Most of them underestimated the strong currents.