Overview

• On Sunday at around 11:30 a.m., a 17-year-old football team member vanished while attempting to swim across the Main near Winterhausen in the Würzburg district.
• Police, firefighters and paramedics launched a large-scale response, deploying sonar-equipped boats, divers, drones and an ADAC rescue helicopter.
• An ADAC helicopter crew reported spotting a person drifting in the river but crews were unable to relocate or confirm the identity of the sighting.
• After more than two hours of continuous efforts, authorities suspended the operation, noting there were no indications to justify further search measures.
• The latest disappearance underscores recurring dangers in Germany’s natural waterways and has renewed calls for mandatory life jackets and stronger public water safety education.