Confused Man Rescued From River Waal in Nijmegen, Claims He Was 'Just Swimming'

A confused man was rescued from the Waal River in Nijmegen on Friday morning after being spotted swimming in the middle of the busy waterway. Crew members of a cruise ship threw him a lifebuoy, and the fire brigade pulled him to safety.

Witnesses say the man was clearly disoriented. "He said God was with him and that he was just swimming," recounted a crew member who helped with the rescue. The man was in the water between the Waalkade and the island of Veur Lent. How he ended up there is still unknown.

Multiple bystanders saw him swimming in the center of the river, an area heavily trafficked by cargo vessels and cruise ships. "It was very dangerous with all the ships around. We threw a lifebuoy toward him to help," the crew member added.

Police and firefighters had already been alerted. The fire brigade ultimately pulled the man from the water. He was brought safely to shore and taken away by ambulance. Authorities identified him as a confused individual requiring medical attention.