Overview

• Passersby spotted a 28-year-old struggling near Rodenkirchener Brücke around 11:40 a.m. and secured him to a houseboat gangway using a dog leash.
• Two Cologne police officers arrived soon after and pulled the man ashore with an extended rescue rope.
• The rescued man was taken to a hospital for observation and is currently in stable condition.
• Local authorities maintain a prohibition on swimming in the Rhine due to its powerful, unpredictable currents.
• Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen and the fire department are reviewing river safety procedures to prevent similar incidents.