Off-duty diver saves man from drowning at Oslo lake

An off-duty rescue diver, Julian Nordengen, pulled a man from the water at Brekkedammen lake on Oslo’s Frysja island earlier this month, Dagbladet reports.

Nordengen was on a stroll with his son and dog on 14 July when he heard a faint cry for help. Recognising the urgency, he called emergency services, secured his child and dog, and entered the water. Without full equipment, he borrowed a diving mask from a bystander and located the missing man on his third dive.

Multiple swimmers assisted, using a stand-up paddleboard to bring the man to shore. Nordengen began CPR before handing over to medical personnel. The man, in his 30s, was taken to hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.

“I could never have got him to shore alone,” Nordengen said. “The help from the other swimmers was decisive.”

The incident has left Nordengen deeply affected. He described a “real role conflict” as his son cried and his dog barked during the rescue, while his instincts as a diver and father pulled him in different directions.

Oslo Fire and Rescue Service shared the story on Facebook to mark World Drowning Prevention Day, which falls today, and to raise awareness of drowning risks.