Search for missing boy in Drava River continues amid difficult conditions

A large-scale search is underway for a missing boy in the Drava River near Selnica Podravska, Croatia. The child disappeared from an unofficial swimming spot along the river's old course. Rescue teams, including police divers, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, firefighters, and the Red Cross, have been searching since Tuesday evening.

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At our place, the water level has risen again; I don't remember us having any unfortunate incidents at that bathing spot.

The search is hampered by difficult conditions. The Drava River has swollen significantly due to heavy rainfall in Austria and Slovenia over the past few days. The riverbanks are also described as slippery and unstable, making the terrain challenging for rescuers.

Authorities are also looking into the circumstances of the disappearance. Unconfirmed reports suggest the children went to the riverbank unsupervised. This comes after the parents were previously reported for child neglect three months ago, though an investigation at the time found no grounds for intervention.

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A child born in 2018 has gone missing in the Drava River area, which is currently swollen. At an unofficial bathing spot used by locals and visitors to this area. We don't know more details about how the child went missing, but we are preparing to start the search and find the child.

Local officials expressed concern about the rising water levels, noting that such incidents are rare at the popular summer spot. The head of Legrad, Ivan Sabolić, stated he doesn't recall any previous accidents at the bathing area. Police spokesperson Dijana Žagar confirmed that intensive search measures are being implemented with all available resources.

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Police divers from the Intervention Police Unit and all other police branches are currently on site. HGSS members and fire departments are also involved. Intensive search measures will begin.