A peaceful Christmas Eve by the Baltic Sea in Boltenhagen, Germany, took a dramatic turn for one wheelchair user. What started as a lovely evening close to the water quickly became a frightening ordeal when her heavy, 200kg electric wheelchair sank deep into the soft sand.
Trapped on the freezing coast, the woman and her companion battled for over an hour to free the chair, but the cold and the sinking sand made it impossible. As temperatures hovered around freezing and darkness fell, they knew they needed urgent help. Finally, at 5 pm on Christmas Eve, the local fire brigade was alerted.
Community fire chief Sebastian Hacker, 45, admitted it was a call like no other they’d ever received. Rescuers arrived swiftly, their first priority being the woman’s well-being. Using a special carrying sling, they carefully transported her off the beach to a nearby wooden hut, where she was wrapped in warm blankets to recover from the chill.
Next, four dedicated firefighters tackled the formidable task of freeing the weighty electric wheelchair. With considerable effort—heaving and pulling—it took them another 45 minutes to successfully dislodge the chair from the dunes and get it safely off the beach.
Despite the scary and unexpected Christmas Eve adventure, everyone was relieved. The chief was happy to confirm that the woman was completely unharmed. It’s a heartwarming testament to community spirit and readiness, ensuring that even a festive evening gone awry can have a safe and happy ending.
