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A British man has died in Austria after getting cramp in his foot while he was swimming in a lake, causing him to drown.
Austrian state police said the man, 33, was with a 36-year-old British woman swimming at the Schwarzindien resort in Mondsee, near Salzburg, on Wednesday.
He suddenly complained of cramp in one of his feet at about 4pm and his companion swiftly realised he was in peril as he sank and disappeared from view. “When he did not come back to the water surface, she screamed for help,” police said.
Other bathers tried to help and the man’s body was recovered by two rescue divers five metres beneath the surface of the water at around 4.30pm local time. A doctor who happened to be present unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate him, officers from the police force for the state of Upper Austria said.
The news website Salzburg24 reported that two vehicles and three boats from Salzburg Water Rescue attended the beach, along with the fire department, police, Red Cross and a rescue helicopter.
Cramps can last up to 10 minutes and can cause effects similar to paralysis in parts of the body. They are associated with overexercise and dehydration, and can affect people suddenly.
Most cramps go away on their own, but the NHS advises stretching and massaging the muscle if possible.
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