What happened on the Krk Bridge? The whole truth about the drama surrounding the German holiday trailer
It sounded like a tasteless April Fool’s joke, but the reality on 1 April on the Krk Bridge was deadly serious. The images of a silver trailer with German number plates hanging at a 45-degree angle over the 67-metre drop went viral. We now have the exact details from the fire brigade: How close was it really?
Chronology of terror: gusts of up to 150 km/h
At 2:30 pm the fire brigade received the alarm: a caravan was hanging over the railing of the Krk Bridge as a result of severe storm gusts. Conditions on site were catastrophic. Measurements showed wind speeds of up to 150 km/h – a force of nature that poses an enormous challenge even for experienced rescuers.
Precision work above the abyss
The JVP Grada Krka turned out immediately with 3 vehicles and 4 brave firefighters. Colleagues from the JVP Grada Rijeke also rushed to help with a further 3 vehicles.
Because of the extreme gusts, it was impossible to recover the trailer straight away. The rescuers’ top priority was to secure the rig with ropes to stop it sliding into the depths. At a height of 67 metres above the sea, the crews had to wait patiently for the wind to ease briefly so they could carry out the recovery safely together with a towing service.
Not the only incident: a second call-out nearby
While the rescuers were still battling with the first rig, more bad news reached them: just a short distance away, the strong wind had caused another trailer to overturn. Here too the fire brigades from Krk and Rijeka did a great job, setting the trailer back on its wheels with winches and escorting the vehicle safely off the bridge.
A shock for people and animals
The first rig carried a German holidaymaker who was not travelling alone – his dogs were on board. One can hardly imagine the shock that hit the man and his four-legged companions when they realised that only the tow hitch was saving them from free fall. This 1 April will probably stay with the driver for the rest of his life.
A huge thank you to the heroes of the day
The fact that this day ended without injuries is entirely thanks to the perfect coordination and brave work of the JVP Grada Krka and the JVP Grada Rijeke. A huge thank you to all the crews who risked their lives in hurricane-force bura to rescue holidaymakers and animals!
Time to take a deep breath
Despite this dramatic start, we now wish the German gentleman and his dogs a hopefully relaxing time on our island. After all, as the saying goes: Krk is a particularly good place to switch off. We hope the peace of the island helps them quickly forget this shock.
“Photos: JVP Grada Krka“
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