SHARE
COPY LINK

FERRY

Ferry worker rescues young child who fell into Lake Geneva

A young boy had a lucky escape last week when he fell off a ferry dock into the cold November water of Lake Geneva and was rescued by a crew member who jumped in after him.

Ferry worker rescues young child who fell into Lake Geneva
The CGN ferries operate between Switzerland and France across Lake Geneva. File photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP
The incident happened last Thursday evening as the Compagnie Générale de Navigation (CGN) ferry named Le Léman docked in Evian-les-Bains, France, after its crossing from the Swiss side of the lake, La Tribune de Genève said on Wednesday. 
 
A witness told the paper that a man with a pushchair was disembarking the boat when a small child passed in front of him. When he reached the quayside the boy, for unknown reasons, took a step towards the edge and fell into the water beneath.
 
 
Luckily, a CGN crew member immediately jumped into the water – currently 12 degrees – to rescue the child. 
 
“It was lucky that the child was wearing a colourful jacket because otherwise, in the dusk, she [the crew member] probably wouldn’t have found him under the water,” said the witness. 
 
CGN confirmed the incident to the paper. There are no procedures in place for incidents on the quay, said spokeswoman Sandra Tiano, hailing the employee as a heroine who acted on her own initiative.
 
The company is currently investigating why the boy fell into the water. 
 
“Everything that can be improved will be,” said Tiano. 
 

RESCUE

Norwegian authorities tow stray cargo ship to safety

Norwegian maritime authorities said late Wednesday that they had begun towing a Dutch cargo ship that was drifting dangerously towards the coast after the crew were forced to abandon it.

Norwegian authorities tow stray cargo ship to safety
JRRC South Norway / AFP

The 12-man crew of the “Eemslift Hendrika” was rescued Monday in a challenging two-stage operation after they issued a distress call while steaming from Bremerhaven in Germany to the Norwegian port of Kolvereid.

The cargo ship was carrying several smaller vessels, and began to list after high winds and huge waves displaced some of its cargo.

The “Eemslift Hendrika” also suffered an engine failure and started drifting towards the Norwegian coastline.

WATCH: Norwegian Rescue services evacuated crew from ship adrift at sea 

Eight of its crew members were airlifted by helicopter from the cargo ship’s deck by Norwegian rescue services but the last four had to jump into
the water to be plucked from the sea.

Video images showed strong waves rocking the ship as it listed to the starboard (right) side.

Towing operations were due to have begun Thursday, but the ship deviated from its predicted trajectory and drifted even closer towards the coast,
prompting maritime authorities to rush into action.

“The tow is now attached,” the Norwegian Coastal Administration(Kystverket) said on its website late Wednesday. “The risk of grounding has
been averted.”

On Thursday, the “Eemslift Hendrika” was being towed slowly towards the Norwegian port of Alesund and Kystverket said “no particular challenges” had been encountered overnight.

SHOW COMMENTS