What happens to your body if you fall into the icy, fast-flowing Danube from a Budapest bridge

The tragic question arose after Mátyás Egressy was last seen walking onto the Chain Bridge, with no camera footage showing him leaving it. Meanwhile, a camera on board a Danube vessel recorded a body falling into the river. Based on a statement released by the family yesterday, there is a high likelihood that the person was Mátyás.

Many unanswered questions surround Mátyás’s disappearance

No one knows exactly what happened in the early hours of Saturday, 17 January, at the downtown nightclub Ötkert.

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Mátyás had been partying there with friends. According to the venue’s operators, he showed no signs of needing assistance when leaving. His friends said he had consumed alcohol, but not in excessive amounts. He later boarded the 907 night bus, where he fell asleep. Upon reaching the final stop at Örs vezér tere, the driver woke him and asked him to get off. According to the official statement, he complied without hesitation and did not ask for help.

From this point onwards, the situation becomes increasingly unclear. It remains unknown why he travelled to Csömör, why young people who encountered him there later said he appeared confused and kept repeating that “it’s over” because his phone was missing—an item his father believes was stolen. It is also unclear why he returned from Csömör to Kossuth Square, how friends later claimed to have seen him in Pesterzsébet, or why he did not go home.

His family suspects that something may have been added to his drink, as his father stated that Mátyás did not suffer from any mental health issues.

In the early hours of Sunday, cameras recorded him on the Chain Bridge, from which he did not leave. Based on the footage from a Danube vessel and the family’s statement released yesterday, it is believed he may have fallen into the fast-flowing river. His school and tennis club have already begun mourning him, while authorities continue the search.

What happens if you fall into the Danube?

In the famous scene from Titanic, Jack tries to dissuade Rose from jumping into the ocean by explaining that the water is so cold it feels like being stabbed by a thousand knives at once.

According to a post by the Pest County Search and Rescue Service – HUNGO, falling into the icy Danube is far worse. Although the organisation stated that it is not directly involved in the current search, it explained that such an impact can cause injuries incompatible with life. Even for a fit, athletic person who remains conscious, escaping from the fast-flowing Danube is almost impossible.

When a human body hits the icy Danube, the following occurs:

• While jumping into a warm garden pool from a low height may be harmless, here the fall is 15–20 metres, during which the body accelerates to around 60 km/h. At this speed, due to surface tension, the water behaves almost like a solid wall.
• The impact alone can cause severe internal injuries, including damage to the liver and spleen.
• In most cases, the impact leads to immediate loss of consciousness.
• In water temperatures of 0.4–1°C, the body experiences instant cold shock, triggering an uncontrollable breathing reflex.
• Muscles cool within minutes, resulting in rapid physical incapacitation.
• This process can ultimately lead to cardiac arrest.

Why has the body not been found yet?

The search is hampered by the Danube’s strong current, the time that has elapsed, and extremely poor visibility—beyond a depth of 20–30 centimetres, visibility drops to zero. At such times, the body is usually carried close to the riverbed, making the use of technical equipment particularly difficult. In some cases, it can take weeks for a body to resurface.

Authorities are continuing their persistent search for Mátyás Egressy.