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Tragedy in Malia: Witnesses recount the drowning of a 42-year-old Dutch woman
🇬🇷 Greece /Disasters & Emergencies

Tragedy in Malia: Witnesses recount the drowning of a 42-year-old Dutch woman

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A 42-year-old Dutch woman drowned off the coast of Malia, Crete, while attempting to rescue her friend.
  • The incident occurred when the friend, who was with three children on a rented boat, was caught in currents and began to struggle.
  • Rescuers performed CPR for 15 minutes, but the woman could not be revived; the three children and the rescued friend were in a state of panic.

Tragic events unfolded in Malia, Crete, on Sunday afternoon when a 42-year-old Dutch woman lost her life attempting to save her friend near Klotzani beach. The incident occurred in front of three young children, aged 3, 8, and 15, who desperately called for help.

I saw the children waving their hands and asking for help.

— GenadiosA boat operator who was the first to reach the children on the drifting boat.

The woman and her 43-year-old friend had rented a boat for a sea excursion with the children. According to reports, the 43-year-old friend began to struggle after swimming with the children, who were wearing life vests. She was caught by sea currents and called for help. The 42-year-old woman dove in to assist but swallowed water and lost consciousness.

We were told by the children that the mother was a little further from the small boat.

— GenadiosDescribing the children's account of the incident.

Her friend managed to reach her and held her afloat while awaiting rescue. Autopsy results confirmed drowning as the cause of death for the 42-year-old. The 3-year-old child will be collected by his 21-year-old sister, who traveled from the Netherlands.

The woman was holding the other woman, she had lost consciousness. The lifeguard dove in, we tried to put the woman on the jet ski.

— Mr. PrinarisOwner of a water sports business describing the rescue attempt.

Witnesses described the scene with distress. A boat operator who reached the children first reported seeing them waving and calling for help from the drifting, unmanned boat about 500 meters offshore. Lifeguards and a doctor on the scene made extensive efforts to save the 42-year-old woman, performing CPR for 15 minutes without success. One lifeguard noted the women were far from shore and expressed relief that there were no more victims.

For a quarter of an hour, CPR was being performed. We found no signs of life.

— Mr. ChutsishviliA lifeguard describing the efforts to revive the woman.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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