Ostend (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): A 41-year-old man missing after swimming in the sea was found safe in Aalst wearing only wet swimming trunks. His disappearance led to a large search effort raising questions about the incident and the responsibilities of emergency reports.
A 41-year-old man from Aalst went swimming in the sea on 18th August evening with his friends in Ostend. When they couldn’t see him anymore they quickly called for help. The search started right away focusing on the water, the dike and the beach. The search was thorough with many teams searching both in the water and on land. Even with all their hard work they couldn’t find the missing man. As it got darker it became harder to search. By 11:00 PM they had to stop because it was too dark to continue safely. It has been said that emergency services will probably start searching again as soon as it gets light hoping to find the missing swimmer.
What led to the missing swimmer’s return in Aalst?
On 19th August at morning, the search for the missing man was suddenly stopped because he was found in Aalst. He was healthy but in an unusual situation.He had no clothes or belongings with him. Everyone felt relieved because there were worries about his safety during the search. However it’s still unclear how he ended up in Aalst and why he had nothing with him. The mayor of Ostend,Bart Tommelein confirmed that the man was found and that he is safe. While the authorities have made sure he is okay they haven’t shared much information about how this happened.
It has been said that a 41-year-old Ukrainian man who traveled home by train while wearing wet swimming trunks and since no ticket checks were conducted,no one noticed him. When he arrived in Aalst he used a passerby’s phone to call his friends who had reported him missing. His friends, one aged 30 and the other 63 only informed the police after the search had already been called off. Mayor Bart Tommelein raised questions about the incident stating that the search was entirely unnecessary and that further investigation is the police’s responsibility. Earlier this summer two young people had drowned while swimming in the sea.
Bart Tommelein, the mayor of Ostend expressed concerns about the sense of responsibility among individuals who report emergencies particularly in cases like the recent incident involving a supposedly drowning person who turned out to be safe. His comments highlight the potential consequences of such reports, as they can lead to unnecessary panic and the mobilization of emergency services, diverting resources from genuine emergencies. Tommelein emphasizes the importance of responsible behavior and accurate communication in emergency situations, urging individuals to assess the circumstances carefully before taking action to avoid wasting valuable resources and creating undue alarm.
