Two Polish police officers have been hailed as heroes in the town of Makarska, situated in southeastern Croatia, after their quick response saved the lives of a man and a woman who were drowning in the sea. The Croatian daily newspaper “Jutarnji list” reported on the incident, which took place on Tuesday.
Piotr Filar and Marcin Czyż, both serving at a local police station in the Adriatic coastal town, were off-duty and relaxing on the beach when they heard cries for help coming from the sea. Acting swiftly, the officers noticed the distressed tourists struggling in the water and immediately grabbed a water sports board lying on the beach to aid in the rescue.
The male tourist had sustained a shoulder injury, rendering him unable to swim on his own. Meanwhile, the woman who tried to assist him was not strong enough to bring him back to shore independently. However, thanks to the intervention of the Polish policemen, a tragedy was averted.
Later in the afternoon, while on duty in the Makarska area, the officers coincidentally encountered the man they had saved just a few hours earlier. Recognizing his rescuers, the man expressed his gratitude and learned that they were Polish police officers who work in Croatia during the summer season.
The Croatian police station commended the actions of the two brave Poles, who, despite being off-duty, did not hesitate to risk their lives to save the lives of tourists in distress. The officers, in turn, expressed their satisfaction at being able to assist tourists visiting Croatia.