Aalborg councilor emphasizes need for improved visibility of rescue stations after drowning incident

The rescue stations at Aalborg’s harbor are set to become more visible following a recent tragic incident in which a 25-year-old man drowned in the Limfjord. Jan Nymark Rose Thaysen, Aalborg Municipality’s councilor responsible for city and rural affairs, acknowledged that this was the first report of issues with visibility concerning the rescue stations.

In an effort to improve safety, Thaysen noted that onlookers attempting to rescue the man struggled to locate the life buoys, which are positioned on large steel plates that are only visible from the fjord side. Thaysen stated that this scenario is not logical and emphasized the need for a solution. The municipality is considering various measures, including placing life buoys on both sides of the plates, enhancing signage, and installing projectors at the rescue stations.

This issue follows a previous drowning incident in February 2022, when a 21-year-old man lost his life after falling into the harbor following a night out. At that time, the political party Venstre proposed erecting fences along the waterfront, but the proposal did not gain enough support in the city council.

Now, the suggestion is being revisited during budget negotiations for the municipality. Thaysen confirmed that the local government has commissioned a cost assessment for installing fences at three particularly vulnerable locations: Obels Canal, Jomfru Ane Parken, and Honnørkajen, close to Jomfru Ane Gade, which is the heart of Aalborg’s nightlife.