A 13-year-old stand-up paddler and a 19-year-old with two children in a dinghy had to be rescued by water rescue services and police in Traunkirchen in Upper Austria. The strong wind and waves had driven them off the Traunsee.
The 13-year-old stand-up paddler from Lower Austria ran into problems on Thursday around 2.30 pm due to the high winds and the accompanying strong waves on the Traunsee near Traunkirchen. He could not withstand the waves and was swept towards Ebensee as a result.
The boy quickly realized his hopelessness and had the presence of mind to lie flat on the stand-up paddleboard, slowing the drift. He was eventually rescued by the alarmed water rescue service and the crew of the Gmunden police boat and brought to shore unharmed.
Drawn attention to oneself through yelling and hand gestures
Immediately afterwards, the officers of the police boat and the water rescue noticed a dinghy in which a 19-year-old Polish woman from the Gmunden district and two children were sitting. They drew attention to themselves with shouts and hand signals, after which the emergency services immediately rushed to them. The boat was towed to shore. The woman stated that due to the strong wind and the accompanying waves, she and the two children were no longer able to maneuver the dinghy. They were driven further and further towards the center of the Traunsee.
All four people were unharmed
Shortly afterwards, a storm warning was issued. The police and water rescue services informed the skippers still sailing on the lake and asked them to moor on the shore.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
