A young man from Brussels drowned this Sunday in a lake in Houthalen-Helchteren (Limburg). The victim had ventured outside the area supervised by the lifeguards.
This Sunday, around 3 p.m., the emergency services were called to the De Plas recreational area, in Houthalen-Helchteren (Limburg). The many swimmers, who came to take advantage of the heat, were evacuated: a young man, originally from Molenbeek, disappeared. “We arrived, there was a mother screaming. We didn’t know what was going on. Everyone had to leave the beach…and they pulled the body out of the water“says a bather.
Firefighters tried to resuscitate him, but were unsuccessful. Jef Verpoorten, Acting Mayor of Houthalen-Helchteren, explains that “the man was found outside the supervised bathing area. There is a delimited area, where lifeguards and a security team are present, but unfortunately it happened outside this area“.
Witnesses say he had gone to look for a balloon. It is plausible that the victim could have lost his footing in a deeper area, where the water temperature suddenly drops, with a risk of thermal shock.
A danger too often overlooked
This dramatic accident is an opportunity to remember that open-air waters can be dangerous, even for good swimmers. “No one is immune to discomfort or anything.” recalls Serge Piron, responsible for the beach of “Robertville-les-bains”. In this area, there is also a supervised area, “outside this area, nothing is allowed“Serge clarifies.
However, there are many bathers who defy the ban, but the rescuers of Robertville-les-bains cannot do much about it: “We can point the finger at them, take the safety boat and take a ride when we see too many swimmers outside, but there’s nothing more I can do” insists Serge Piron.
The excuses of illegal swimmers are numerous: some bathe their dog, others do not want to pay their entrance. Beyond 1500 people, the team of lifeguards of Robertville-les-bains are in the habit of not letting any more tourists in: “Once we close the doors, like yesterday, people bathe anywhere. They came for a dip and they’ll do it no matter what“laments Serge Piron.