Woman nearly falls into open drain shaft in Bad Kötzting

An 18-year-old woman nearly fell three metres into an open drain shaft in Bad Kötzting in the Upper Palatinate, BR24 reported. Her companion held on to her and pulled her out, police said.

The pair were walking along a pavement early on Sunday morning in the dark when the woman stepped into the uncovered shaft. She suffered minor injuries and was treated in hospital.

It is not yet clear who removed the drain cover. Police in Bad Kötzting are investigating suspected dangerous interference with road traffic and are asking witnesses to provide information about the person or people responsible.

A similar incident was reported over the weekend in Eichstätt in Upper Bavaria. Unknown people removed two square drain covers from the roadside on a bridge. A passer-by noticed the missing covers on Sunday afternoon and alerted police. A search nearby was unsuccessful, and the road maintenance department secured the open drains. The damage was estimated at about 200 euros.