A 15-year-old scout from Lower Silesia has died. The boy drowned during a night task on Lake Ośno. Prosecutors and police are handling the case, and the camp was immediately halted.
Dramatic outcome of a night scouting test
15-YEAR-OLD DROWNS DURING SCOUT TEST. At a scout camp in the village of Wilcze, around 1 a.m. today, a 15-year-old was to take a scouting test for a higher rank. The test took place in the middle of the night. The boy was to swim across the lake but at one point disappeared under the water. His body was pulled out a few hours later at 5:30 a.m. from a depth of about 2 metres. Witnesses are being questioned. The supervisors were sober. The scout camp in the area consists of 11 camps, with 717 scouts in total.
The incident occurred on the night of 23 to 24 July 2025 in the village of Wilcze, in Wolsztyn County, during a camp of the Polish Scouting Association of the Republic (ZHR). According to preliminary findings, the 15-year-old was attempting to earn a proficiency badge and was to swim across Lake Ośno and then light a campfire on the other shore.
A supervisor and a lifeguard were present at the scene and oversaw the test. Both have already been detained while the circumstances of the tragedy are clarified. Tests showed that they were sober.
Course of the tragedy
- The task began at around 1:00 a.m.
- The teenager entered the water in full uniform, including heavy boots.
- While swimming, he disappeared beneath the surface and did not resurface.
- The supervisors immediately began a rescue operation and called the emergency services.
- Numerous fire brigade units arrived at the scene, including water and diving rescue teams equipped with sonar and drones.
- The boy’s body was found at around 5:30 a.m., 20-30 metres from the shore, at a depth of about 2 metres.
Proceedings initiated
Investigators promptly detained the supervisor and the lifeguard; neither has yet been charged. Prosecutors have announced an autopsy, and police are questioning witnesses. Initial analyses confirm that safety and supervision recommendations were followed, but the circumstances of the night test and the accident itself require detailed examination.
Psychological support and assistance
The camp has been immediately cancelled. Psychological support has been provided to all participants and the deceased’s family. The Polish Scouting Association of the Republic (ZHR) has declared a period of mourning. Words of support and condolences have come from government representatives and the scouting community across the country.
Safety at scout camps
Requiring a 15-year-old scout to swim across a lake unassisted goes beyond camp standards. It is reminiscent of scouting from 100 years ago. This is how instructor Ryszard Polaszewski of ZHP assesses the circumstances of the tragic accident on Lake Ośno in Wolsztyn County. The 15-year-old boy drowned during a scouting test that involved swimming across Lake Ośno in the middle of the night. The camp participant was swimming alone, without adult assistance or a special buoy. He disappeared under the water and could not be saved. Police and prosecutors are investigating the circumstances; the troop leader and a WOPR lifeguard have been detained. The ZHR, the camp organiser, is cooperating with them.
In Wolsztyn County alone, 11 scout camps operated during this year’s summer holidays, with more than 700 scouts taking part. Over the whole season, more than 1,100 young people took part in the region. Rescue operations are carried out regularly, but such a tragic incident has occurred for the first time.
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