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Three Germans die in French rafting accident

Three Germans were killed in a rafting accident in southeastern France as violent storms caused a flash flood in a canyon.

Published: 12 June 2008 13:48 CEST

Two women and a rafting guide, all in their 30s, from the Dortmund region in western Germany were in France as part of an adventure sports group, gendarmes said on Thursday.

The group were rafting down the Baou canyon, a popular spot for beginners, on Wednesday when the gorge was swamped by a wall of water two to three metres (seven to 10 feet) high, laden with tree branches and debris, gendarmes said.

Caught by the flood, they were unable to sound the alarm until hours later when one of them managed to struggle out of the water. Emergency services, using a helicopter, recovered three bodies at the foot of a waterfall just before nightfall.

The survivors were said to be in a state of shock and one young woman was hospitalised suffering from hypothermia. Local authorities banned white water sports on the upper stretch of the Verdon River due to stormy weather conditions, but it remained authorised in the Baou canyon.

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Major storms hit western Germany on Thursday, causing travel disruption and flooding.

In parts of Baden-Württemberg, streets were flooded and rivers swelled. Bisingen, southwest of Tübingen, was particularly hard hit, with cellars and streets plunged under water.

Police said there was also traffic disruption. In Baden-Württemberg’s state capital Stuttgart, severe storms and lightning caused issues and some roads were closed.

A lightning strike in the Sigmaringen area resulted in a broken signal box on the railway line. According to Deutsche Bahn, no train journeys were possible in the region in the early evening with several delays and cancellations.

Other states were also affected.

There were around 300 relief operations in the Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was hit by the 2021 deadly flood disaster.

Police said no-on was injured, although basements and streets were flooded. The water levels of the Ahr were being closely monitored.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

In Trier, too, streets were flooded after heavy rain and there were hailstorms. The Koblenz police headquarters reported fallen trees. Significant property damage due to full cellars and flooded streets was also reported in some areas.

Heavy showers also fell in Hesse, accompanied by thunder storms. In Frankfurt, according to the fire department, the heavy rain caused water to enter the Bethanien Hospital and even reach the intensive care unit of the clinic.

“We were able to contain the damage relatively quickly and prevent it from spreading,” said fire department spokesman Thorben Schemmel, adding that no patients were affected.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Eifel region was particularly affected, with reports of flooded streets after heavy rain and hailstorms.

North Rhine-Westphalia also saw storms late in the afternoon on Thursday.

The German Weather Service (DWD) said it expected some heavy rain and hail in parts of the country on Friday – particularly in the west – and at the weekend but warnings of severe weather have been lifted.

The DWD said there could still be one or two strong thunderstorms in the northeast on Friday. However, it will be a significantly quieter day compared to Thursday. Temperatures of up to 25C can be expected.

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