30. 06. 10. - 15:00

Two Vienna swimmers die in 24 hours

Two people have died while swimming in the city’s Neue Donau branch of the Danube.

A 17-year-old girl died when 35-minute-long resuscitation attempts failed after she disappeared in the waters for reasons unknown yesterday afternoon (Tues).

A female pal of the same age needed treatment after suffering nervous breakdown as she watched paramedics attempt to bring her back to life.

The body of an Afghan man was later found in the free of charge swimming area not far from where the teen died last night.

The 27-year-old drowned as he tried to cross the river with pals the day before. Water rescue officials had been looking for him for 24 hours.

A seven-year-old girl is meanwhile fighting for her life after her motionless body was discovered by a pool supervisor in Feldkirch, Vorarlberg.

The man immediately carried out first aid measures before an ambulance arrived to rush the primary school student to a local clinic where she is now in intensive care.

Sixty-four people drowned in Austria last year, of which four were younger than 10.

Experts stressed careless and cocky behaviour were to blame for most fatalities. They also pointed out that water as shallow as 20 centimetres posed danger for small children.