Death on the water: sad statistics, causes of tragedies and recommendations for safe behavior

July 9, Minsk. The statistics on deaths on the water are disappointing. Adults, and small children, and teenagers die. What causes the tragedy and how to avoid it, BelTA was told in the Investigative Committee of Belarus.

"The Investigative Committee faces the problem of deaths on the water every year. With the beginning of the swimming season and the onset of heat, people spend more time on the water. They gather in large companies, take their children with them and have picnics. According to OSVOD, only this year on the water 109 people died, 11 of which were children. Directly during the bath, 51 people died, including eight children. For each such fact, employees of the Investigative Committee conduct checks, interview eyewitnesses, establish all the circumstances, causes and conditions of the tragedy," the department said.

If we are talking about the death of children, then one of the obvious reasons for their death on the water is the lack of proper control by adults. "This is especially true for the little ones. For some reason, some parents believe that swimming in shallow water is safe, but this is not so. As investigative practice shows, a child can drown even in a children's pool, so talking about safety in shallow areas of the reservoir is too Inflatable vests, sleeves and swimming circles are not a guarantee of safety for a child. They can only reduce the risk of tragic consequences," the Investigative Committee emphasized.

One of these tragedies took place on June 28 in the Pukhovichi district. According to preliminary data, the 6-year-old kid was resting with his parents on the Ptich River. While swimming, the child was wearing a life jacket that kept him afloat. After a while, he independently removed it, put on a swimming mask, dived and disappeared from view. Later, his body was removed from the water by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. This case is a prime example of the lack of due diligence. A child at this age, in principle, should not dive on his own. He should only do this under adult supervision. Moreover, the child should be not just within sight, but at arm's length, so that at any time you can pull him out of the water. In the case of children, even a minute of delay can cost a life.

Another category of children who often drown is teenagers. They come to the ponds on their own to swim. Adolescents may have a desire to assert themselves, to compete. There is a fear of ridicule, for example, in case of refusal to jump into the water from a height or swim long distances. In such companies, the physical indicators of peers are rarely given importance and everyone tries to match each other. Often the tragedy begins with the phrase "Are you weak?". It is these words that are often able to motivate to commit some stupidity. 

A recent case in the Minsk Sea can be cited as an example. On the afternoon of July 4, a 14-year-old teenager went to beach No. 6 of the Zaslavsky reservoir in the company of friends. The boy decided to swim to the buoys, but did not calculate his strength. He started to sink when he came back. The child could not be saved.

As far as adults are concerned, the main problem with lake and river tragedies is alcohol . Unfortunately, often outdoor recreation in people is accompanied by alcohol. In a state of intoxication, people forget the obvious rule: alcohol and bathing are incompatible. Alcohol greatly affects the coordination and perception of what is happening around. Often it is drunken bathing that leads to tragic consequences. The worst thing is that in a state of intoxication, adults bathe with children.

Recently, a woman and a child drowned in the Uzda region. It happened on June 26th. The woman, along with a 7-year-old boy who was in her care, went swimming and drowned. According to preliminary information, the woman used alcohol. When examining the resting place of a woman with a child, things were found that indicate this.

Parents and just adults who climb into the water in a state of intoxication, I want to say only one thing: if you are indifferent to your own life, think about the life of a child. Children should not die because of the indifference of adults to possible tragic consequences.