Authorities Ban Walking on Lake Balaton Ice

Lake Balaton near Siófok on January 25, 2026

With the onset of mild temperatures, Hungarian authorities have issued urgent warnings against walking on the ice of natural bodies of water. What was still possible as a winter pastime in some parts of Lake Balaton on Saturday, turned into a life-threatening trap the next day.

Since Sunday, January 25, a strict ban on entering the entire area of Lake Balaton has been in effect. Dániel Mukics, spokesperson for the National Directorate General for Disaster Management (OKF), warned that the thawing weather is causing the ice to become unstable, uneven, and “mushy.” Experts emphasize that

there is currently not a single spot on the lake that is still safe to walk on.

Anyone who ignores the ban not only endangers their life, but also faces fines. The penalties for violations range from 5,000 to 50,000 forints (13.09 to 130.92 euros).

The warnings are not without reason, as there have already been several accidents in recent days.

On Thursday, the ice broke under a skater at the beach in Alsóörs. Although the man managed to climb out of the icy water, his clothes were completely soaked. The Veszprém county patrol officers were the first to arrive at the scene. They placed the young man in a police car and, together with the lifeguards, kept him warm with thermal blankets until the ambulance arrived. He escaped his “icy adventure” unharmed.

In Siófok on Friday, the ice broke under a 51-year-old woman 500 meters from the shore when she fell on uneven ice and broke her ankle. The fire department had to rescue her with a ladder and a special stretcher. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old teenager fell through the ice in Fonyód, one kilometer from the shore. Although his mother was able to pull him out of the water, both of them were stuck between the cracks and had to be brought to safety by emergency services.

Firefighters were also called to rescue animals in distress in recent days. On the outskirts of Hatvan, they saved a German shepherd from the Zagyva river. In Balatonfenyves, however, a dog fell through the ice about 500 meters from shore, but could not be saved despite rescue attempts.

Cracking or crunching sounds while on the ice are a warning sign—if you hear them, take the following actions:

• Lie flat immediately: Distributing your weight over a larger area reduces the risk of breaking through the ice.
• Crawl toward the shore: Move toward the mainland by sliding on your stomach.
• In case of a break-through: Try to lie flat on the water and use breaststroke movements to reach the more stable edge of the ice toward the shore.
• Call emergency services: Witnesses to an accident should immediately call 112 and not attempt to put themselves in danger without safety equipment.

The message from experts is clear: the safest choice at present is to stay on the shore.

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Vasvári Tamás

The post Authorities Ban Walking on Lake Balaton Ice appeared first on Hungary Today.

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