Major operation in Tyrol

Plunged into river: search for stand-up paddler

On Thursday evening, numerous police and firefighters searched the Lech river in Tyrol for a missing stand-up paddler. A passer-by had previously raised the alarm.

At around 7.40 pm, a 66-year-old man observed a person on a stand-up paddle board on the Lech river from the Vorderhornbach bridge (Reutte district), according to the police. The previously unknown sportsman is said to have lost his balance on a rapid and fallen off the board. The person then drifted off.

Search aborted without result
"After the witness could no longer see the person, he made an emergency call," said the police. Rescuers from Stanzach, Forchach, Vorderhornbach, Rieden, Ehenbichl, Höfen and Weißenbach am Lech, the Reutte water rescue team, the Red Cross, mountain rescuers with drones and a rescue helicopter immediately made their way to the scene. No one was found. "The search was called off at around 9.30 pm without any results," said the executive.

The investigators are now looking for witnesses or hope that the stand-up paddler will contact them himself (phone: [phone]).