Rescue Forces avert near Tragedy on Lake Woerthsee

Saved a Life!

I happened to be around and have my camera with me when this happened on the lake today: A mother had her six months baby and a two-and-a-half-year old with her, all three of them being on skates. When she approached a spot of thin ice, bystanders shouted warnings her way, but it was too late: She broke through the surface, which was a mere half inch thick. As she fell in the water, she lost grip of the stroller with the baby that she had been pushing in front of her. The stroller rolled on and came to a halt, while the woman sank. Bystanders were able to alarm rescue forces and pull the women out. However - noone was able to reach the stroller to pull it back in. As rescue forces arrived, the stroller had already broken through the surface, but was stabilized long enough for rescue to arrive and reach for the baby - at the very last minute, before the stroller sank!

Accident site

Luckily, both the mother as well as the baby are in good condition. Noone could have know that there are patches of thin ice, as we have been having freezing temperatures near 5F for over a week and the ice is as thick as 3-4 inches in all other places. Guess, we were all lucky today.

P.S.: Story runs in the weekend edition of the local newspaper. I provided a few photos as well as the story behind the story, which I came to know only later.