Overview
- Officials say current ice on lakes, ponds and rivers in Bavaria is not reliably load‑bearing despite sustained subzero temperatures and fresh snowfall in forecasts.
- Thomas Huber of Wasserwacht Bayern warns that ice never carries uniformly, with flowing waters, inlets, outlets and shore zones posing the greatest danger.
- The service advises staying off ice unless it is explicitly cleared, noting a roughly 15‑centimeter thickness as a reference for walking but emphasizing official approval.
- If the surface cracks, people should lie flat to spread weight, crawl back toward the entry path, and call 112; bystanders should assist from shore using poles, branches or lines without stepping onto the ice.
- Parents are urged to supervise children and dog owners to keep animals off frozen surfaces, as rescue attempts often endanger would‑be helpers, while rapid‑response units remain on alert during the cold period.