Two canoeists disappeared on Sunday in the Biesbosch, near Drimmelen. They didn’t show up when they had to return their canoes at five o’clock in the afternoon. The police searched in the evening with a boat and helicopter, but scaled down around a quarter to eleven.
After the men failed to return their canoes, the police found the two vessels floating on the water near the Amer River. The canoes were empty, no trace of the men.
Two scenarios
The police quickly considered two scenarios. The men may have been thrown overboard or they may have deliberately not returned their canoe to the rental company.
By the end of the evening, the police say they are assuming the best scenario. According to the spokesman, the paddles and a life jacket were still in the canoes. “So that could indicate they left the stuff behind and left.”
Scale down
The search for the two men has therefore been scaled down, but will continue until more is clear.
The two canoeists have given a foreign address to the lessor. That makes the search a bit more difficult, according to the police. “So we can’t check if they’re home.”