Police call off underwater search for young man missing at Lake Most after storm hit paddleboarders

Police have called off the underwater search for a young man who went missing on Lake Most after a sudden storm struck a group of paddleboarders. According to police, the search will continue, but now with ground patrols along the shoreline and surrounding area, as well as aerial searches using drones.

There were six people in the paddleboarding group in total. Witnesses say the storm blew in extremely quickly, whipping up waves nearly a metre high, and the group was unable to reach the shore. Four of them were rescued by lifeguards, while two went missing.

“Unfortunately, neither the efforts of the police nor the equipment deployed have led to the person being found,” police said on Thursday.

A lake more than 70 metres deep

Lake Most covers an area of over 300 hectares and reaches depths of more than 70 metres. It was formed after a lignite open-pit mine near the town of the same name was flooded.

Rescuers remind paddleboarders that a leash connecting the rider to the board should always be used when paddleboarding on lakes, ponds or the sea. Without one, if you fall into the water, wind or current can sweep the board far out of reach within seconds. The Water Rescue Service has been highlighting the importance of this safety measure in recent days.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz