As the heatwave sets in across Ukraine, more and more people are heading to rivers and lakes to cool off, whilst the police are reporting an increasing number of drowning deaths. Over the past weekend alone, the police reported that seven children had drowned in bodies of water.
On 24 June, another tragedy occurred in Bukovina — three children and one adult were swept away by the Dniester.
Initially, the police received a report that two boys, aged 7 and 8, and their father, a 49-year-old man, had gone missing on the Dniester River near the village of Repuzhynets.
A local resident and his children had come to the reservoir for a day out. Whilst swimming, the two boys began to drown; their father rushed into the water to save them but also went missing.
A large-scale search operation has been launched, involving the police, the State Environmental Service, divers, local residents, boats, specialist equipment and drones. Law enforcement officers are searching the waters of the Dniester River, the riverbank and the surrounding area of the reservoir.
On the same day, the police received a report that a 16-year-old local resident had gone missing on the Dniester River near the village of Moshaneț whilst swimming.
According to preliminary information, the minor disappeared from her relatives’ sight after jumping into the water from a height.
The search for all those missing continues.
Photo credit: police
Heatwave and tragedy on the water
A heatwave of +30°C has hit Ukraine and its consequences have already led to tragedy: seven children drowned in the country last weekend alone, according to the juvenile police.
Law enforcement officials report a sharp rise in the number of accidents involving minors at the country’s water bodies.
The search for young children in Transcarpathia, in the River Tisa, and in the sea off Odessa continued for several days. Ultimately, a boy was found dead near Berehove.
Law enforcement officials advise parents never to leave their children unattended near bodies of water, even if the child is a strong swimmer and even if the water appears shallow.