19-year-old brother also dies after swimming accident in the Rhine-Herne Canal

A 16-year-old had already drowned at the same spot on Saturday. On Sunday, two brothers from Gladbeck had an accident in the Rhine-Herne Canal and were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The younger of the two, a 14-year-old, was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon. „Sie waren bereits längere Zeit unter Wasser gewesen", it was said regarding the rescue operation.

Three dead at the same spot

Fire service divers recovered the two brothers from the canal on Sunday evening. They had been underwater for a considerable time before they could be rescued. The operation was also psychologically taxing for the rescuers. The city of Gladbeck stated in this regard: „In Gedanken sei man auch bei den Rettungskräften, vor Ort im Einsatz waren."

Police issued urgent warnings about the dangers of swimming in the canal. Signs at the Rhine-Herne Canal point this out: „Benutzung des Kanals verboten". According to police, the ban exists for good reason: even experienced swimmers can be caught by currents from which they cannot escape. People who cannot swim or are unsure of themselves quickly find themselves in life-threatening situations in waterways like the Rhine-Herne Canal, police warned.

Police warnings

The officers formulated their warning in an unusually clear sentence: „Kein noch so heißer Tag ist es wert, ihn gegen das Leben einzutauschen". The background is the heat that has persisted in the region for days, tempting many people to seek relief in bodies of water – including places where it is expressly forbidden.

This is the third tragic swimming accident at the same spot in Gelsenkirchen's Nordsternpark. The city of Gladbeck expressed its condolences to the family: „Unser tiefes Mitgefühl gilt ihrer Familie, ihren Angehörigen und allen Menschen, die ihnen nahestanden." Police announced that investigations into the exact sequence of events of the tragedy would be continued.

Background: Nordsternpark and swimming ban

The consequences for the family and the personal circle of the brothers can hardly be estimated. Local residents reported that the area around Nordsternpark is particularly popular as a meeting place among young people because the water is temptingly close and seemingly easily accessible. Police and the city of Gladbeck are appealing to parents and older teenagers to point out the swimming ban in the canal and to use alternatives such as outdoor pools or designated swimming areas.

Our sources for this article are the Gelsenkirchen police and the city of Gladbeck. The report was broadcast in the programme „WDR 2 Rhein und Ruhr, Lokalzeit" on 25.06.2026 at 9:31 am.