The Hautes-Alpes firefighters were mobilized, this Saturday, August 2, 2025 on Saturday, August 2, 2025, for a suspicion of drowning in the lake of Serre-Ponçon, at the very touristy beach of Bois-Vieux, in the town of Rousset-Serre-Ponçon (Hautes-Alpes), in the dam sector.
Alerted by a person qualifying a witness to a drama, the departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS) quickly hired significant resources (18 firefighters from Hautes-Alpes, supported by a nautical team made up of divers and an aquatic rescuer on three boats as well as a cynophile team, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, gendarmes, EDF agents …) to find this person, who would, according to our information, a woman aged around 70 years.
The bather was installed outside the surveillance perimeter
According to the SDIS, the bathers was installed on an area of the beach which is located outside the surveillance perimeter set up each summer by the firefighters, in Bois-Vieux as on the twelve other beaches of the Hautes-Alpes.
While the research continued until 0:40 am this Sunday, August 3, the bather was not found. The firefighters indicate that this operation “will not be renewed if there are no other elements“In this case, also in the hands of the national gendarmerie.”We do not know if the alert is very real“, Slips a source close to the file.
According to our information, confirmed by the firefighters, no witness would have really seen this baignant flow in the waters of the lake. However, a disturbing element: its towel would have mysteriously remained installed on the beach. Has the septuagenarian left the lake, forgetting her things? Has it really been the victim of a drowning? “”No disappearance of no one has since been reported“Adds another source close to the file.
