A man in his thirties had to be resuscitated after getting into difficulties in the water at the De Nekker provincial recreation area in Mechelen on Sunday afternoon.
The victim, who was reportedly from Brussels, was resuscitated on the spot and taken to the hospital for further treatment. The precise circumstances of the incident are being investigated.
When the swimmer in distress was noticed, the staff of De Nekker immediately started first aid and resuscitation, the Antwerp Provincial Government stated. The emergency services subsequently took over when they arrived on site.
According to VRT, the man was still in a critical condition in hospital on Monday.
De Nekker has asked that the privacy of the victim and family be respected and said that the organisation is fully cooperating with the investigation into the incident.
