In strong winds, a kitesurfer on the North Sea gets problems with his equipment. At the last second he can save himself on a gauge tower. Hours pass before rescuers bring the man back to shore.
A drifted kite surfer had to wait several hours on a level measuring tower on the North Sea off the island of Norderney. As the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons (DGzRS) announced on Sunday evening in Bremen, the man who had already been reported missing was noticed by the crew of a ferry and brought to safety by sea rescuers. He was severely exhausted but doing well.
According to the DGzRS, the water sports enthusiast started from a beach on the North Sea island in Lower Saxony on Sunday afternoon, had problems with his kite wing in stronger winds and, according to his own statements, just saved himself on the tower. Otherwise the violent gusts would have driven him further away. When the kitesurfer hadn’t returned from his trip for four hours, an acquaintance raised the alarm. She informed the operations center of the sea rescuers.
While a sea rescue cruiser immediately made its way to the sea area, the rescuers also radioed a ferry that was currently operating in the area. Shortly thereafter, the crew spotted the kitesurfer on the level tower and passed the information on to the sea rescuers, who picked him up. The DGzRS did not provide information on the age of the water sportsman.