Advertisement

Ferry worker rescues young child who fell into Lake Geneva

The Local
The Local - [email protected]
Ferry worker rescues young child who fell into Lake Geneva
The CGN ferries operate between Switzerland and France across Lake Geneva. File photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

A young boy had a lucky escape last week when he fell off a ferry dock into the cold November water of Lake Geneva and was rescued by a crew member who jumped in after him.

Advertisement

The incident happened last Thursday evening as the Compagnie Générale de Navigation (CGN) ferry named Le Léman docked in Evian-les-Bains, France, after its crossing from the Swiss side of the lake, La Tribune de Genève said on Wednesday. 
 
A witness told the paper that a man with a pushchair was disembarking the boat when a small child passed in front of him. When he reached the quayside the boy, for unknown reasons, took a step towards the edge and fell into the water beneath.
 
 
Luckily, a CGN crew member immediately jumped into the water – currently 12 degrees – to rescue the child. 
 
“It was lucky that the child was wearing a colourful jacket because otherwise, in the dusk, she [the crew member] probably wouldn’t have found him under the water,” said the witness. 
 
CGN confirmed the incident to the paper. There are no procedures in place for incidents on the quay, said spokeswoman Sandra Tiano, hailing the employee as a heroine who acted on her own initiative.
 
The company is currently investigating why the boy fell into the water. 
 
“Everything that can be improved will be,” said Tiano. 
 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also