People in trouble in sea at Callantsoog; 1 dead, 1 missing, 2 rescued

Four people got into trouble in the sea near Callantsoog on Tuesday afternoon. The Coast Guard and rescue agency KNRM responded in large numbers. They rescued two people, including a minor. One person died. The fourth is still missing.

A spokesperson for KNRM Callantsoog told NOS that they received a report about multiple swimmers in distress at around 4:30 p.m. They were near the Voordijk beach access, between Callantsoog and Groote Keeten.

Emergency services launched a “large-scale operation from the water and the air,” a Coast Guard spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. The KNRM deployed large rescue boats from its stations in Callantsoog, Den Helder, Petten, and Egmond. The Coast Guard and police both deployed helicopters to search from the sky.

Rescue workers managed to quickly find two of the swimmers and pull them out of the water. Another person was found too late to save.

The rescue services continued to look for the fourth person until 9:00 p.m. and then called off the search. The search will resume when the tide permits. The police urged everyone on the beach near Callantsoog not to go searching for the missing person themselves.

The police released no information about the identities of the people involved. It was a “serious incident that can deeply affect those directly involved, bystanders, and others who took notice of it,” the police said. “It was a busy beach day. There were many tourists and children playing.”

What exactly happened is also unknown. It is unclear whether the people in trouble were together, and whether they were swimming, playing water sports, or on a boat. The police are investigating.