Boating

Many citizens own various watercraft (boats, jet skis, motorboats, etc.), while others rent them. In any case, water recreation enthusiasts must remember that operating any watercraft requires strict adherence to safety rules, the violation of which can lead to irreparable consequences:

On May 18, a 61-year-old local resident and two Minsk residents, aged 23 and 50, went out into Lake Naroch on a motorboat. More than 2 km from the shoreline, the vessel began to sink, and the three men ended up in the water. By the time rescuers arrived, only the 50-year-old man was holding onto the sunken boat; he was urgently hospitalized. The others were pulled from the water without signs of life. It was later discovered that the watercraft lacked a stern float, which prevented it from staying afloat if water entered it.

On May 5, two students went sailing on a pontoon, which was in disrepair, on the Ptich reservoir. They prepared a barbecue on the watercraft, but before they could enjoy their rest, they noticed that the pontoon began to sink. The distressed individuals were spotted by a watchman from the observation station, who raised the alarm for the duty shift. Rescuers on a boat approached the pontoon, which was 500 meters from the station, and rescued the students from the watercraft. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

On June 7, a 40-year-old resident of Brest avoided trouble. She was swimming on an inflatable mattress in the eastern bay of the Mukhavets River. When the woman could not reach the shore on her own, she started calling for help. Passers-by heard her cries for help and called rescuers.

Important! Everyone on board a watercraft must wear life jackets. Prohibited: - exceeding the established number of people on board; - operating watercraft while intoxicated; - for the operator of a watercraft to enter areas designated for swimming and marked with buoys; - jumping into the water from a boat; - sitting on the sides, moving from place to place, and transferring to other motorboats or boats; - going out on the water in watercraft not at all suitable for this purpose; - approaching watercraft too closely, as whirlpools, waves, and currents can form near them: a swimmer could be pulled under them.