Roskilde tightens safety at lakes after drownings

Roskilde Municipality is increasing safety measures at several lakes following a series of fatal drownings, the municipality announced in a press release on Tuesday.

A pedestrian bridge at Himmelsøen, often used as a diving platform, will be removed, and new warning signs will be installed. During Roskilde Festival, lifeguards will also be stationed at the lake during daylight hours.

“It fills me with terrible sorrow that there have been two accidents this weekend at the municipality’s swimming lakes,” said Mayor Tomas Breddam (S) in the statement. The municipality noted that Himmelsøen, a former gravel pit, becomes deep very quickly, and stressed the importance of following posted signs and the Danish Lifesaving Society’s swimming advice.

Four people have drowned in the municipality’s lakes over the past year. Most recently, a 32-year-old man was found dead in a private lake on Monday after disappearing on Saturday. The same night, another man drowned in Lyngager Sø. Earlier this year, a student drowned in Himmelsøen while swimming with friends. Last year, a 17-year-old boy died in the same lake during Roskilde Festival.

The municipality is in close dialogue with the Danish Nature Agency, Midt- og Vestsjællands Police, Roskilde Festival, and the Tryg Foundation to improve safety. The Danish Swimming Federation has warned against swimming in former gravel pit lakes, citing their depth, poor visibility, and sudden temperature shifts.