Two Dutch tourists drown after canoe accident in France

Two Dutchmen, aged 25 and 35, drowned after a canoe accident in a canal between Mathaux and Blaincourt-sur-Aube in France on Wednesday. They formed part of a group of about 10 Netherlands residents holidaying in France, AD reports.

The group of Dutch rented canoes from their campsite in Dienville. They got into trouble in whirlpools in a place in the canal where a water suction pipe runs, according to local media. That happened around 2:00 p.m. in a section of the canal that is considered dangerous.

The first victim was quickly rescued from the water but went into cardiac arrest. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. The second man’s body was found a time later.

An 8-year-old child went into shock and was taken to hospital along with another Dutch person. The rest of the group was unharmed.

According to the regional news site Het Kontak, the victims were brothers-in-law from Brandwijk and Nieuw-Lekkerland in Alblasserwaard. NOS reported that the victims were in the same canoe and in a forbidden area of the canal when the accident happened.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs couldn’t confirm the incident to AD on Wednesday evening.