– After this terrible incident, we have had a small evaluation and purchased 25 new rescue ladders, says port manager in Mandal Ove Nodeland. He refers to what happened late Sunday night. Then a man in his 20s was found dead in Mandalselva. He had not been seen since he was out with friends the night before and had been reported missing. More ladders and more light The port manager in Lindesnes says the measures they have looked at now are about more ladders and more light. He also mentions that a month ago they ordered three new rescue stations to stand along the river that winds through the city. They must have a loose ladder, a rather long chin and a rescue buoy. He points out that this requires people on land. – If there are no people on land, these rescue stations will not help at all. The police have previously stated that there is no suspicion that anything criminal has occurred. On Tuesday, the police told the newspaper Lindesnes that the incident is considered an accident with a tragic outcome. The police also say that the case has a high priority and that the deceased will be autopsied. Photo: Anna Rut Tørressen / news Missing national guidelines – We see that the protection around municipalities in Norway is very variable, says Tanja Kragenes of the Rescue Company. A total of 88 people lost their lives in drowning accidents in Norway in 2022. Of these, 32 people died after falling from land, according to the Redningsselskapet’s drowning statistics. The accidents have, among other things, occurred in connection with nightlife, fishing in rivers and accidents during trips. – We believe that there should be national guidelines or requirements that the municipalities can comply with, says Kragenes. She believes that would make the security job much easier for the municipalities. – It’s about getting ladders and lifebuoys in place at regular intervals. The ladders must also go far enough into the water, and preferably have a signal color and lighting, explains Kragenes. – We also encourage the municipalities to deploy security or rescue stations in certain places, she says. Tanja Kragenes from the Rescue Company says national guidelines would make the security job much easier for the surrounding municipalities. Photo: Tom Balgaard Went through the ladders last year There has also previously been a focus on ladders along the Mandalselva. When a woman in her 40s was found dead by a wharf in January last year, ladders along the river also became a topic. It turned out that several of them were blocked or difficult to see. – After this accident, we have gone through all the ladders and checked that everything is in order. We have also put lights on all the ladders, says harbor manager Nodeland. According to Nodeland, there are currently 40–50 meters between the ladders. Nodeland believes that fencing in the river is almost impossible. – If we put up a fence along the river, the jetty cannot be used. And there are moorings almost all the way. The rescue ladders at Mandalselva were reviewed last year and have been illuminated. Photo: Anna Rut Tørressen / news
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Putting up more ladders after accident in Mandalselva – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
