The swimming season has ended, the beaches are deserted, however, water bodies remain a popular and accessible form of recreation for many. Some fish from the shore, some wait for solid ice formation to go ice fishing, while others find it more convenient and interesting to fish from a boat. It is important to remember that fishing from a boat is as pleasant as it is dangerous. One careless move and you can end up in cold water. Unfortunately, such incidents often end tragically. This is why OSVOD and GIMS require fishermen to wear life jackets when going out to fish and never to board a boat while intoxicated.
Accidents while fishing from a boat are not very frequent, but they do happen regularly. In the first 9 months of 2024 alone, 3 citizens drowned in the Vitebsk region due to falling from a boat. The cause of these accidents remains the same: non-compliance with water safety measures.
All examples indicate that fishing from a boat requires a responsible approach, paying attention to both the technical condition of the boat and your equipment, and most importantly, observing water safety measures when using boats. When the boat is underway, both the skipper and passengers are obliged to wear a life jacket in the small vessel.
Every skipper must remember the following rules on the water when using a small vessel:
– children may only be on a small vessel if their number corresponds to the number of adults who can swim;
– all persons on board must wear life jackets;
– boarding and disembarking from the boat should be done one person at a time, stepping carefully in the middle of the floorboards;
– do not position the side of the small vessel parallel to an oncoming wave (do not broadside the wave) – head into the wave;
- do not sit on the sides of the vessel while it is moving, or stand up fully, as you can easily fall overboard and end up in the water:
– if the small vessel capsizes, the first priority is to assist those who cannot swim.
If you witness an incident on the water, provide all possible assistance and report it to the "101, 112" service.
Head of the Lepel Rescue Station Mikhno I.A.