The 'Krakow 69,' reporting that they had two missing members and that they suspected they may have fallen overboard.

Poland, May 12, 2008 (XTVWorld.Com) -- At 23:30 Saturday 10th May Krakow local police received a call from the crew of a charter boat, the 'Krakow 69,' reporting that they had two missing members and that they suspected they may have fallen overboard.

A group of 20 English men, accompanied by 25 of Krakow's top models, were said to have booked the charter boat with a well-known company specializing in VIP Stag Parties in Krakow.

Krakow Police formulated a search plan and requested the assistance of a locally based helicopter in initiating the search. Some privately owned local boats were also launched to assist with the rescue.

As rescue crews were preparing for a more extensive search, they spotted a man and a woman waving for help.

As we moved closer, we spotted a rubber dinghy ahead with a couple of people, one in the water next to it, hanging on and waving frantically. We went closer to investigate and found a man in the water, fully clothed and trying unsuccessfully to get back in the dinghy, with a woman in the dingy trying to pull him up. It was clear the man was not going to get back in the dinghy without capsizing it and it seemed that the woman's high heels had pierced the rubber dinghy and caused it to start to sink. The man was wet and cold, so pseudo lifeguard Michal Malewski pulled him into his boat, and with the help of some friends, they took him back to shore of the Krakow Vistula river before returning to assist further."

"The dinghy had filled with a lot of water," he added.

"I got into the dinghy with the woman who didn't appear to be shaken; in fact, she was laughing at what had happened. She told me she had tried to elope with the foreigner and the two had devised a plan to hop into the rubber dinghy secured to the charted boat and head back to shore, however she did not realise at the time that her stiletto style of shoes would pierce the rubber dinghy and cause it to sink. We made our way back to shore, accompanied by the rescuers. Steering the dinghy was quite an experience as it was full of water, and hence very heavy, and I was worried about falling out myself."

The man told police he had been in the water for about 40 minutes. The man, police said, was unharmed and didn't require medical attention, except for his pride.

Piotr Nowak, spokesman for the Krakow Authority, said: "This is not good news for Krakow tourism and it indicates people are not being responsible".

"If they (the drunk lads) and their guests (the 25 Krakow models) were wearing life jackets and were more aware of the dangers of boating, everything would become safer and a safe place for this type of night time activity."

Monika Szczepanska, spokesperson for Lifestyletours.org who arranges the VIP Stag Parties in Krakow, who backed the local authorities, said she was pleased with the outcome, however she said:

"Imagine us trying to ask 20 English boys to wear lifejackets, while they are chatting up some of Krakow's most beautiful women on a swaying boat - that would be somewhat of a joke"

She said: "We are known for our Lads' Parties in Krakow and sometimes they get a bit out of hand. What do you expect when you involve foreigners, booze, dancing, fun and some of the world's most beautiful women? We call it a party and others call it a disaster."

Krakow has had a lot of publicity recently for Stag Parties, but authorities say "this one will go down in history as the funniest, and what's more interesting is that it could have turned out like the famous story of Princess Wanda who drowned in the Vistula river in Krakow."

Contact:
Adam Rosiewicz
Lifestyletours
Poland
+44 222 656
lifestyletours @ gmail.com
http://www.lifestyletours.org/