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Munich's surf scene shaken by first major Eisbach River accident

Eisbach: the famous Munich river wave has never witnessed a serious accident in more than 50 years of surfing | Photo: Spiske/Creative Commons

A 33-year-old woman was seriously injured while surfing the Eisbach river wave in Munich at night on April 16, 2025.

After falling off her surfboard, for reasons still unclear, the leash attached to her ankle got stuck on the bottom of the Eisbach.

She was unable to free herself because she was connected to the board.

Witnessing the accident, other surfers tried to remove the leash and release the victim, but failed due to the strong current.

The scene was dramatic, with the surfer crying for help before being pulled underwater.

After struggling for about half an hour in the rushing water, she was ultimately rescued by fire officials, who performed resuscitation efforts and took the victim to the hospital, where she is stable but in critical condition.

The incident resulted in the closing of the Eisback River wave for surfing indefinitely.

The local authorities made the decision to prevent further accidents based on the fact that the existing risk could not be ruled out.

The area has been cordoned off and marked with warning signs. Access to the surfing venue is now prohibited for everyone.

Experts will develop a plan to investigate the causes of the accident, but completely draining the area will be nearly impossible.

As a result, city officials are considering lowering the water level to check what may have entangled the surfer's leash.

Eisbach River Surfers Plan Additional Safety

In the aftermath of the unheard-of accident, local surfers welcome additional safety measures, even though they are still reeling from the recent unfortunate event.

"This is the first truly serious accident in the entire history of the break," Moritz von Sivers, vice-chairman of the Interessengemeinschaft Surfen in München, told the German Press Agency.

According to the representative of the Surfing Interest Group in Munich, there could be an obstacle on the Eisbach riverbed, perhaps even an e-scooter.

Von Sivers also said it might be wise to put up warning signs alerting surfers to the risks posed by the safety leash.

A permanent throw bag near the shore for emergencies could also be a reality in the future.

At the Eisback, surfers use leashes to prevent the board from drifting away after each ride, but in strong currents, it may not be easily released.

The community sports group, which is responsible for another river wave at Floßlände, has already ordered additional safety equipment there.

At the Eisbach, however, the city is responsible for the implementation of any extra measures.

Following the freak accident, the Bavarian Surfing Association (BWV) released a few safe leash practices for riding the famous Munich river wave:

  1. Remove the small screw that connects the leash to the Velcro strap and replace it with a toothpick or similar material, such as a ribbon, thin cable, etc., so that the leash breaks under higher tension;
  2. Alternatively, you can modify the Velcro fastener of an old leash so that it also opens under higher tension. For example, shave off a section until you reach the release point at which the leash opens under high tension;
  3. Using the leash on the knee, as some suggest, is not recommended because it would require you to have the strength and calmness to release it under stress.

BWV represents around 3,000 surfers and hopes that the authorities "don't overreact," stressing that simple measures could make surfing safer, on top of the best river surfing safety practices.

Surfers have been riding Munich's Eisbach daily since the 1980s.


Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com



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