An Indian priest has drowned in a lake in Regensburg, Germany.
Fr Binu Kureekattil (41) is from Kothamangalam diocese of India’s Kerala state. He has served in the Regensburg Diocese for more than 10 years.
The accident took place at Lake Murner, Wackersdorf on Tuesday evening. The priest was riding a SUP (StandUp Paddleboard) with a woman friend. Both fell off. The The 25-year-old friend was rescued by another pedal boat’s crew.
The area around the accident site was searched by divers and a rescue helicopter until midnight, without success.
Police and rescue forces retrieved the priest’s body after hours of search that involved rescue boats, a drone, a diving robot and divers. Around noon on Wednesday, a rescue diver finally found the missing body at a depth of 28 meters 40 metres away from the accident spot; it is now kept in a private mortuary in Munich and will be repatriated soon.
Fr Binu is a member of the St Joseph’s Province of the CST congregation. He is the youngest of six children.
The Parish of Schwarzach and the community are deeply shaken by the sudden and tragic death of their vicar.
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook/Gemeinde Schwarzach b. Nabburg)
