One person was knocked overboard this afternoon off the coast of Schardam. Several emergency services have launched a major search for the drowning person and are combing the Markermeer with the help of lifeboats, an airplane and a helicopter.
The drowning person is said to have been knocked overboard from a sailboat around three o’clock in the afternoon. Since the person disappeared in the Markermeer, nothing more has been heard of him.
Multiple units were alerted, including the Coast Guard, the rescue squad and the police. “The rescue brigade has searched for the location of the sailing yacht from various stations,” said a spokesperson for Hoorn Rescue Brigade. “Once we found it, we had a better idea of where to look.”
The North Holland North Safety Region announces that the search has been taken up on a grand scale. “We searched very broadly. The search was done with the help of a SAR helicopter, a coastguard plane and a police helicopter that happened to be nearby. The water temperature and weather conditions are good. That can make a big difference.”
Search underwater
Because the drowning man has been missing for more than three hours, the emergency services, except for the police, decided to stop the search. According to the police, it is still too early to speak of a salvage operation, but equipment has already been deployed to search underwater as well.
The identity of the victim has not yet been released.
More later.
Tip us!
? Send a Whatsapp message with a tip, photo or video to 06-30093003 (useful to save in your phone)!
? Contact the editors or journalists in your area via our tip form.
To stay informed?
? Stay informed of news from your region, download the free NH News app via the App Store or the Google Play Store.