Mysterious body discovery in the Elbe near Haselau – cause of death unclear!

Mysterious body discovery in the Elbe near Haselau – cause of death unclear!

Today, on June 18, 2025, unpleasant news became known under dramatic circumstances in the Pinneberg district in Schleswig-Holstein. On Tuesday evening, a lifeless body was discovered in the Elbe near Haselau. According to reports from NDR, the order for water rescue was given at 6:15 p.m. after the crew of a pleasure boat discovered the body in the water. A large rescue operation was immediately initiated, involving around 100 helpers from the fire department and the DLRG, including units from Lower Saxony and a diving unit from Itzehoe.

The emergency services were faced with a challenging situation. After the lifeless body was recovered, a psychosocial emergency care team had to look after the firefighters and helpers. This support is particularly important because such operations can be psychologically stressful for the rescue workers involved. Marco, a theologian and expert in after-deployment care, has already looked after numerous rescue teams and relies on the CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) method. This procedure has proven itself and is also used internationally, for example by the United Nations.

The man's identity and the exact cause of death remain unclear. The dead man was wearing a wetsuit, raising questions about the circumstances of his death. The criminal police have already started an investigation to shed light on the situation. According to current information, a similar incident could have occurred near Coswig about three weeks ago, where a lifeless body was also recovered from the Elbe. While the identity of the man found was clarified back then, it remains to be seen whether there are parallels to the current case. In recent months there have been increasing reports of tragic incidents in the region's waters.

Another aspect that needs to be considered is psychological support for those deployed. Marco, who actively helps to work through such stressful experiences, emphasizes the great importance of supervision and exchange between those helping. “Those who help often experience stressful situations themselves and also need support,” he explains. This is particularly evident in the efforts made after the successful completion of an operation to mentally distance oneself from the experiences.

For the local community of Haselau and beyond, today's incident is a painful reminder of the dangers that can lurk in the waters. It remains to be hoped that the ongoing investigation will soon reveal new information about the man's fate. The following developments will be closely monitored and we at NDR will continue to keep our readers up to date.