A 63-year-old Luxembourger was rescued by helicopter after being trapped for two hours in the North Sea mudflats in northern Germany, suffering from severe hypothermia.

The 63-year-old was on holiday at the North Sea when he found himself in a life-threatening situation.

On Friday evening, he had to be rescued urgently, according to a press release from the Krummhörn fire brigade. He had sunk into the mud near a dike just after the tide had gone out and was unable to free himself.

He remained stuck and alone for around two hours before the emergency services, including a helicopter, launched a rescue operation. The helicopter eventually managed to lift him out with a winch, while trapped up to his hips in the freezing mud.

Suffering from hypothermia, he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A spokesman for the Norden police told the dpa news agency that the rescued man was very lucky. However, the police and fire brigade could not explain why it took two hours before he was rescued.

Mudflat hikes (known as Wattwanderungen) are a popular activity in the region, but they also involve risks. Not only can people lose their bearings or be caught by the incoming tide, the ground is not always solid enough to walk on. Rescue operations in the mudflats are therefore common, but help does not always arrive in time.