On Saturday, a 36-year-old man drowned on a beach in Olsztyn while trying to save his seven-year-old son. “I pulled the boy out of the water. Then I saw that his father was underwater, supporting the child so that he could catch his breath,” Dawid Polakowski, who took part in the rescue operation, told TVN24.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday on an unguarded beach on Lake Ukiel.between the city beach and the beach behind the Omega hotel. – A 36-year-old man was there with three children. When the seven-year-old son was in the water and started calling for help, the father rushed to help. Witnesses also rushed to help – says junior asp. Jacek Wilczewski from the press team of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Olsztyn.
He drowned saving his son
The rescue operation was attended by, among others, Dawid Polakowski, who told the TVN24 camera how the tragedy happened. – It all happened a few meters from the shore. A woman on the beach shouted that there was a child in the water who needed saving – he said.
He added that “the boy didn't make any sound, he just waved his hands and was already going under the water”. – I got on the scooter that was on the shore, swam over, jumped to the boy and pulled him out of the water – said Dawid Polakowski. Then he realized that the boy was being held above the water by a man who was himself under the water.
– It was the boy's father. He held his hands up, supporting his son so he could get some air. He did it even though he was already losing his last breath. He wasn't fighting for himself, but for his child – said the witness.
Dawid Polakowski took the child on a scooter and headed for the shore. He did so because – as he pointed out – another witness swam up to the man underwater. – I went with the boy because he had drunk water, I wanted the lifeguards to take care of him as soon as possible – he said.
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Unsuccessful resuscitation
The boy's 36-year-old father was pulled to shore a few minutes later. “Unfortunately, he was already unconscious,” says Dawid Polakowski. He notes that resuscitation was started as soon as it was possible.
Police said that despite an hour-long resuscitation attempt, the man's life could not be saved.
In addition to the seven-year-old, there were two more siblings on the beach, aged 6 and 10. – The children's grandmother was notified of what happened. The circumstances of the tragedy will be investigated by the police under the supervision of the prosecutor – said junior asp. Jacek Wilczewski from the press team of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Olsztyn.
Main image source: TVN24