Overview

• The man entered the Rhine near Cologne’s Bastei on Thursday afternoon and was quickly carried away by strong currents.
• Authorities conducted a large-scale search involving water police, boats, and a rescue helicopter, but called it off by evening without success.
• Police have officially declared the man missing and believe the incident may have been a dare, though media reports of a wager remain unconfirmed.
• The man was last seen near the Tanzbrunnen area after reportedly submerging multiple times in the middle of the river.
• Local authorities have long warned about the life-threatening dangers of swimming in the Rhine due to its powerful and unpredictable currents.