Information material on preventing deaths on water bodies

According to operational information from OSVOD, a large number of people die in water bodies in Belarus annually: 2009 – 838 people, including 74 children, 2010 – 1313 people, including 82 children, 2011 – 730 people, including 42 children, 2012 – 705 people, including 51 children, 2013 – 571 people, including 34 children, 2014 – 625 people, including 36 children, 2015 – 431 people, including 31 children, 2016 – 376 people, including 26 children, 2017 – 374 people, including 25 children, 2018 – 374 people, including 30 children, 2019 – 364 people, including 24 children, 2020 – 380 people, including 20 children.

As of May 31, 2021, 77 people have died due to asphyxiation by water, including 8 minors. 73 people have been rescued, including 11 children.

SWIMMING WHILE INTOXICATED

The main reasons for unsuccessful, and sometimes tragic, recreation include public negligence and violation of water safety rules. In most cases, emergencies occur while consuming alcoholic beverages, swimming while intoxicated, or swimming in prohibited areas where there are no rescue stations. Alcohol consumption and recreation near water often lead to fatalities. Last year, the opening of the swimming season was not successful for everyone:

June 11, a 24-year-old girl drowned in the capital. The incident occurred during the day. The girl and two men were near a body of water on Goretsky Street and were drinking alcohol. Despite the prohibition signs on the shore, the girl decided to swim. As she swam to the middle, she began to drown. Friends, as well as eyewitnesses nearby, pulled the victim out. However, they could not save her.

In the Berezovsky district, a worker from a construction company in Brest drowned while swimming. The tragedy occurred late in the evening on June 15 in the village of Marevil. A group of builders was relaxing after work on the bank of a fire pond. The company was consuming alcoholic beverages. Late in the evening, a 47-year-old man decided to swim. The man never made it back to shore. The next day, divers recovered his body from the bottom of the pond.

June 24, a resident of Lyakhovichi drowned while swimming in the Vedma River. The tragedy occurred in the evening. Along with a group, the 41-year-old man was relaxing on the bank, and alcohol consumption was involved. Then the young man decided to swim and began to cross the river. When his wife lost sight of her husband, she sought help from the rescuers on duty at the city beach. The man could not be saved. His body was found on the opposite bank of the river.

Important! An intoxicated person is unable to adequately assess the situation and may commit acts they would never commit when sober! Prohibited: - swimming in water bodies while intoxicated. Alcohol further dilates blood vessels, and after immersion in cold water, a sharp spasm occurs. In open water conditions, this can be life-threatening.