1 month ago
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A Dutch coast guard vessel (file picture) (Image: GETTY)
A British teenager has gone missing on the weekend after vanishing while swimming off a Dutch beach.
The 19-year-old was part of a group of four friends from the UK who encountered trouble while swimming in the North Sea near Zuidelijk Havenhoofd on Sunday, August 25.
The girl’s three companions were successfully rescued, but despite a thorough search, authorities have been unable to locate the missing teenager.
The search, which began around 8:30 pm, continued for approximately two hours until visibility diminished around 10 pm, forcing crews to halt their efforts. The group, all reportedly around the same age, faced challenging conditions in the water.
As of Monday night, rescue efforts have transitioned from a search-and-rescue operation to a recovery mission, with the focus now on locating the teenager's body.
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3 hours ago12:47 Lucy Sarret
Rescue operation pictured
An X user captured footage of the scene last night as officials used cranes and other heavy machinery to searhc for the missing British teen.
"Seriously something going on at the southern pier in Scheveningen", they wrote.
"A whole arsenal of lifeboats, helicopters, ambulances, fire brigade and police. Area is cordoned off. Have been busy for quite some time. No idea what exactly is going on."
Serieus wat aan de hand bij het zuidelijk havenhoofd op Scheveningen. Een heel arsenaal aan reddingsboten, helikopters, ambulances, brandweer en politie. Gebied is afgezet. Zijn al een aardige tijd bezig. Geen idee wat er precies aan de hand is. #scheveningen #denhaag #havenhoofd pic.twitter.com/JoiSD34elZ
\u2014 Marc Wurfbain \ud83e\udd80 (@WurfTwain) August 25, 20243 hours ago12:46 Lucy Sarret
Similar incidents this past summer
The recent incident comes just weeks after another tragic drowning involving a young British teenager in Amsterdam.
In July, a 14-year-old boy disappeared after falling from a boat into the Buiten-IJ water while sailing with friends. Emergency services quickly responded to the scene, but despite their swift efforts, the boy was found nearly an hour later, having tragically drowned.
On the same day, a separate heartbreaking incident occurred in Heerhugowaard, where a two-year-old girl lost her life after accidentally falling into a lake.
3 hours ago12:43 Lucy Sarret
Witness recalls boys 'covered in blood'
A person present at the scene Dutch news site Omroep West that two of the boys were found with blood across their bodies.
“They both had legs covered in blood", they said. "There was also a mother there who was panicking and screaming.
“The water was so wild, really impassable. Those boys barely survived.”
3 hours ago12:34 Lucy Sarret
Search turned into recovery operation
The rescue mission, which initially focused on locating the girl alive, has sadly transitioned into a recovery operation.
Authorities are now working under the assumption that the teenager did not survive the incident.
Rescue teams, including divers, boats, and helicopters, have been scouring the area near Zuidelijk Havenhoofd where the incident occurred. Despite their efforts, no trace of the teenager has been found since she vanished on Sunday evening.
The operation has been hampered by challenging weather conditions and poor visibility, which forced an earlier pause in the search.
3 hours ago12:31 Lucy Sarret
Eyewitnesses recall 'panicked' scene
Eyewitnesses reported a harrowing scene as the group struggled against the powerful currents.
One witness described how two of the boys sustained leg injuries, appearing bloodied and battered after being swept against the rocky pier that separates Ijduin and Scheveningen Beaches in The Hague.
The witness added that an older woman, believed to be the mother of one of the boys, was seen "panicking and screaming" on the shore.
The severity of the conditions made it nearly impossible for the boys to rescue the missing teenager.
"The boys barely survived," one local recounted, emphasizing the dangerous circumstances that made the rescue attempt so perilous.
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