May 28, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. The first victims of the swimming season have appeared in the Vitebsk region, the Vitebsk Regional Organisation of the Belarusian Voluntary Society for the Rescue of People on Water (OSVOD) informed a BELTA correspondent. For instance, a swimming incident in Glubokoye ended in tragedy for a 17-year-old student. After successfully passing an exam, the young man decided to go for a swim with a friend in a local pond. The young man drowned while diving. According to preliminary data, the young men were sober, specialists clarified. However, alcohol was the cause of drowning for a 33-year-old resident of Orsha, who decided to swim in the river after consuming alcoholic beverages. His body was found several days later in the territory of the Orsha district. Last year alone, over 60% of drowning accidents occurred due to the victims being in various states of alcohol intoxication. Among other causes of drowning are personal carelessness and overconfidence of vacationers, and disregard for basic water safety rules, emphasised Denis Shapovalov, Senior Assistant Prosecutor of the Vitebsk Region for Supervision of Legislation Enforcement in Crime Prevention and Other Offences. In total, over 1,000 people have drowned in the region over the past six years. "Given the current situation, the regional prosecutor's office held an expanded meeting of the coordination council for combating crime and corruption, during which a principled assessment was given of the activities of executive authorities, heads of organisations responsible for beaches, and units of the regional OSVOD organisation. Specific measures have been developed aimed at ensuring the safety of vacationers at water bodies and preventing accidents on water. Heads of executive authorities, institutions, and organisations of the region have been tasked with providing practical assistance to primary OSVOD organisations in conducting preventive work to prevent accidents and equipping the society's units with premises for storing boats and special equipment for rescuing people," said Denis Shapovalov.