A 96-year-old woman died on Tuesday afternoon after a specially adapted bicycle carrying her wheelchair fell into the canal along the towpath beside the Dessel-Schoten canal in Brecht, police said.
The woman was a resident of a care home. She was travelling in a wheelchair mounted on the adapted bicycle when it entered the water for reasons that are still unknown.
A member of staff from the care home was riding the bicycle at the time. That person also ended up in the canal, but was rescued and taken to hospital in shock.
Despite rescue efforts, the elderly woman could not be saved.
A witness has since told police there was no malicious intent and no third-party involvement.
Police said the incident was a tragic accident.
