Saddest day in the history of the surf sport - Drama in the Netherlands

[esme]

What a sad day

[revhed]

This is,was so sad even made CNN international news.
I have the fortune to have been there many times, I love how the locals pronounce city name, I can almost get there.
Proof that even experienced watermen can get caught out.
Intense sea foam...
Be safe, now with others and nature, play with and respect both!
R I P
R H

[Peert]

In my opinion (I kite locally) the foam has been by far the most important if not the single factor that caused their death. Other factors were very well known to the victims.
Reportedly strong currents pushed them in the foam and a wind turning suddenly created a thicker layer than was there moments before (by blowing beached foam back to the Sea).
All victims choked/drowned in the 1 meter thick foam layer. After getting in, there was simply no way of getting a breath of air, just foam... Without assistance of a voluminous board or kite it must have been impossible to get their heads above foam level. The complete disorientation within the foam layer has made it very unlike to get out once in. We can only speculate how much time conscious and mobile they would have had to try to escape the foam, but it is clear it was very limited. Out of a group of 6 that went into the water only one survived. Reportedly he paddle further out to the sea instead of trying to get to shore when he found himself pushed in the thick foam layer.

The whole community of watersport/brandingssport (shore break sports) enthusiast is devastated, as well as many others. I think very few of us would have factored this particular danger of choking/drowning in foam into their equation of risk assessment. We consequently all realize this could have happened to almost all of us (Surfer, swimmers, kitesurfers, windsurfers etc). Rest in peace. This spot will never feel the same for me.

Below a couple of images of how people locally mourn and show their sympathy with the families and respect to the victims. The amount of flowers at the 5 fish mourning sign has exploded since. The 5 fishes borrowed from the flag of the Scheveningen municipality represent of course the 5 victims.

[Toby]

how smart that guy was paddling further out...good to read this as an option if you get into this.

as we learn once again: anything is possible. Never thought that could be a problem. Still unbelievable.

[longwhitecloud]

Seems very likely it was the foam.

I have seen it so thick that there is no way you could get a breath even standing up if it was on beach just in sand (out of water - caught in cove by wind) - so on the surface of the water at 3-4ft foot thick I can see it being a very serious situation - ie not being able to breathe - i t is very very light - breaks up very easily but if there is a constant bar-age pushed by the wind and stopped from travelling further by a groin, cove, rocks - or maybe even a big rip?

I have seen kids playing in it in the surf when quite thick and thought what a bad idea... besides it can stink so bad - algal boom foam.

[elguapo]

as watermen all over the world know...

the sea can be most cruel, fickle and harshest of mistresses.


while it is always educational to try learn from these type of events...
i believe those 5 included 2 lifeguards and 2 surf instructors... those were not "newbies"
..they were literally the personification "local knowledge".



sometimes you just gotta tip you hat..to this beautiful and viscous whore we call the "sea".
outside of being a lucky SOB..not sure what anyone could have done there.

[Kitetwin-1]

Need to keep this thread in our faces, tragic loss, unimaginable

[BraCuru]

The survivor will know the best what was the reason of this tragedy.
Were they finishing the session due to changing spring current at 1900 or due to the foam concentration?
How did he make it? Managed to cross the foam earlier or waited for help outside or swam on offshore side of the North breakwater?

The spot will never be the same. My condolences to friends and families of casualties.
Can't sleep thinking about this tragedy and what I would do being with them.
I work and sail at sea 30 years and feel safer at sea than at hard ground. Used to windsurfer and kite at Dutch waters.
Most likely, I would not write this post.

Spoke to SAR friends in Poland.
They are in shock and told about cases of RIB engine stops when helicopter flies next to it due to sea spray cutting out air needed to run engine.
Remember one windsurfing session at Baltic when waves were super high and wind gusts over 50kts. I could not breath riding between waves. My lungs got sea spray instead oxygen.
Had to finish at once.

This is about the lost. My heart is broken...
https://www.omroepwest.nl/nieuws/404615 ... van-de-zee

Body of Mathijs is still not found. Nightmare for family.

[juandesooka]

Thanks Bracuru for posting the photos. Rather than getting lost in the statistics or the detached situation analysis, this is the human element. These were fun-loving and adventurous young men, they were buddies and sons and partners. And but for freak chance of fate, wrong place at the wrong time on the wrong day, it could be any us in those photos. Gives me a lump in my throat to think of the loss. Absolutely tragic.

[revhed]

To see the photos
Young strong healthy lives cut short
Sadder than SAD like heart breaking and tears pondering
R I P