Cyclist praised for rescuing four people who nearly drowned in Ruhr, Germany

A cyclist has been praised for having “stepped in decisively” and rescuing four members of a family who nearly drowned in the Ruhr River in Germany during a waterside barbecue that nearly ended in tragedy. The family of eight had set themselves up on the riverbank in the western city of Bochum, the local fire brigade reported, but the gathering took a panicked turn when one woman got too close to the water’s edge and toppled down into the current, police told local media. Another woman who waded in to try to help her also lost control in the water. Two more relatives rushed in in an effort to pull the others to safety. All four, who were unable to swim, ended up in jeopardy, unable to pull themselves on to dry land despite the relative shallowness of the water at that point in the river. The cyclist, who is also a doctor, rode past and immediately recognised what was happening in the strong current and “stepped in decisively” to help the three women and a man, a fire brigade spokesperson said. She managed to drag each of the victims out of the water to safety and administered first aid to a woman who was already unconscious. All survived. A family member alerted the authorities. Emergency services workers who arrived soon after the cyclist’s intervention transported a woman who needed immediate medical attention to hospital. The other three victims had only minor injuries. …