The Munich water rescue district association has recorded a decline in operations due to missing people on and in the water for the 2023 bathing season: the emergency services were alerted 16 times, compared to 23 cases in 2022. The water quails had to deal with 15 cases of drowning. Eleven times those rescued were able to be taken to hospital either with their own cardiovascular function or with ongoing resuscitation. Four people were found dead or died after unsuccessful resuscitation attempts.
In its annual report, the water rescue service praises the fact that more and more people are willing to provide first aid in emergencies on and in the water. This would save human lives because every second counts, especially when it comes to swimming accidents.
But in the 41,000 waking hours that 790 volunteers in nine local groups provided from May to September 2023, it is not always just a matter of life or death. Much more often, everyday injuries or illnesses need to be treated, such as cuts or circulatory problems. The lifeguards were alerted more than 770 times. Lifeboats were deployed 144 times and rescue divers were deployed 30 times.