This article has been updated to reflect a statement from German tech-diving magazine Wetnotes, which named the divers who died at Lake Constance.
Two divers have died after an emergency ascent from approximately 80 metres at a popular dive site on Lake Constance, also known in Germany as Bodensee.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 2 August, at the Tennisplätze site in Überlingen, on the German shore of the lake in the Bodenseekreis district of Baden Württemberg.
A 46 year old woman and her 64 year old dive partner were on a joint dive when they initiated an emergency ascent at around 10:30, for reasons that remain unclear.
Police have not officially identified either diver. However, a Facebook post on 4 August from German tech-diving magazine Wetnotes named the woman as Séverine Bär, a longtime contributor to the publication. Wetnotes referred to the male diver only as “Frank,” describing him as her life partner. Both are believed to have been highly experienced technical and closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) divers.
In its statement, Wetnotes described Bär as a writer who had contributed to the magazine since its fourth issue and paid tribute to the couple’s warmth and standing within the diving community, noting they were known for sharing their knowledge generously with fellow divers.
According to a local police report, the male diver was already unconscious during the ascent. The woman was initially reported to have lost consciousness after reaching land, but a correction issued later the same day clarified that she lost consciousness shortly after surfacing, while still in the water.
Both divers died at the scene despite resuscitation attempts.
In a statement, Polizeipräsidium Ravensburg said a fatal diving accident occurred at the Tennisplätze site on 2 August. Police confirmed that the pair initiated an emergency ascent at around 10:30 from a depth of approximately 80 metres, for reasons that remain unexplained. The statement confirmed the man lost consciousness during the ascent, while the woman lost consciousness shortly afterward. It noted that despite resuscitation measures, both divers died at the scene, and that the exact circumstances and cause of the emergency ascent remain under investigation by the Water Police in Überlingen.
Lake Constance borders Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and is a popular inland destination for divers from all three countries, with most diving activity concentrated on the northern German shore. Sources vary on its exact regional ranking by size among Europe’s freshwater lakes; this detail is not central to the incident and has been omitted pending consistent sourcing.
The Tennisplätze site, close to the town of Überlingen, is used by both novice divers and experienced technical divers. A shallow, gently sloping area near the shore is commonly used for training, but the lake bed drops away into a wall at around 30 metres, eventually reaching depths of roughly 120 metres.
Police have seized the divers’ equipment as part of standard procedure for diving-related fatalities, and the investigation into the sequence of events that led to the emergency ascent continues.
As the investigation is still active, Diventures Magazine will continue to follow the case and provide further updates as official findings are released. The causes of emergency ascents can vary widely, and no conclusions should be drawn ahead of the completed inquiry.
Editorial note: This is a developing story, updated 6 August to reflect new identifying details from Wetnotes magazine. The identification has not been confirmed by police. This article will continue to be updated, not replaced, as new official information becomes available.
