The drunk man who fell off the Beatrixbrug in Zaandam yesterday was seriously injured. He is currently in the hospital and is not approachable, the police said. A passer-by saw it happen and jumped after him. With the help of bystanders, he managed to get the victim onto the quay. The rescuer also had to go to the hospital, but was able to go home after a hot shower.
Images in the hands of NH Nieuws show that the victim fell from the open Beatrix Bridge. According to the police, he then landed with his face on a concrete slab, after which he fell into the Wilhelminasluis. The victim is a 36-year-old man from Portugal with no fixed abode or abode. The passer-by who saved him is a 34-year-old Zaandammer.
The bridge was open at the time of the fall to allow a passing ship to pass. There are also many question marks as to how this accident could have happened.
Previous accidents
There have been more accidents on Zaanse bridges in the past. A 57-year-old woman from Zaandam died in an accident in 2015 on the The Uyl Bridge. She was cycling across the bridge when it suddenly opened. A 77-year-old man and his 78-year-old wife were injured after falling from an outstanding Bernard bridge fell. The man ended up in the water, the woman on the bridge deck.