A 20‑year‑old man fell from an inflatable mattress and disappeared beneath the surface of White Lake. Police have been searching for him since Friday evening.
Searches for 20‑Year‑Old at White Lake
Since Friday, August 15, authorities have been searching for a 20‑year‑old resident from Żyrardów County (Masovian Voivodeship). According to the Polish Press Agency, around 7 p.m., two men and a woman were sailing on an inflatable mattress on White Lake (Gostynin County). At one point, the 20‑year‑old slipped from it and began to swim toward the shore. “After several metres, he disappeared beneath the surface,” informed Katarzyna Kucharska, spokesperson for the Masovian Police. He is being searched for both in the water and on land. The operations have been conducted, among others, by firefighters who used boats and sonar. Divers also checked the basin, but the man still has not been found, added the policewoman.
Police Appeal
“Attention, caution, and prudence matter around water for adults, children, and teenagers enjoying or staying near it. Overestimating one’s abilities during swimming and neglecting proper care of children can have tragic consequences. Lack of imagination and boldness can lead to entire families’ tragedies,” urged the police. The statement added that the most common causes of drowning include lack of swimming skills, boldness, overestimating one’s strength or swimming ability, swimming under the influence of alcohol, and swimming in prohibited areas. Officers urged swimming in monitored areas, refraining from impulsive dashes into the water, and avoiding swimming in water below 14 °C. “Remember, an inflatable mattress is not meant for floating on deep water, nor is an inflated tire,” we read. “Let’s remember that a safe swim is the health and life of ourselves and our loved ones, often depending on us,” they emphasized.
