During Wednesday, the alarm was raised that a girl was missing in the water at Tofta beach, on Gotland, which All of Gotland was the first to tell about.
Tord Turesson is chairman of the lifesaving society on Gotland and he was one of those who searched for the girl.
– The parents’ last memory was of her being in the water, he says.
“It was a huge commitment”
But the parents didn’t have to be alone with their worries. The lifesaving society called out on the public address system that a girl was missing and the reactions were not long in coming.
– There was a huge commitment and people lined up and searched, says Tord Turesson.
About a hundred bathers turned up to look for the girl. Together they scouted the beach and formed long search chains in the water following instructions from the lifesaving society.
– You go hand in hand. It’s called raking the water. When you leave, it is 100 percent that there is nothing here, says Tord Turesson.
After a while of searching, they manage to find the parents’ daughter. She was not in the water, but up on the beach.
– Then we could bring them together. The parents were included, says Tord Turesson.
And the reason the girl disappeared was that she found a new friend.
– The little girl found a new friend at the water’s edge and they started playing and were on land. And suddenly they were 200 meters away on the beach.
Two thousand bathers applauded
Tord was the one who got to bring the good news to all bathers who got involved.
– It was a nice moment when I went out on the speakers. Then a couple of thousand people on the beach applauded. It was a charge, a concern, so it was like a great relief when we could go out with the fact that she has been found. People raised their hands and clapped.
Despite all the commotion, the girl is said to have coped well and was invited to coffee by the lifesaving society when everything calmed down.
– She was in good spirits, got juice, buns and cookies, says Tord Turesson.
And for Tord Turesson, who has worked with non-profit lifesaving on Tofta beach for 29 years, it is events like this that convince him to continue.
– You are moved. The effort, the gang, the job. What we learned works. It’s moments like this that make you come back and fight.