Иллюстративное фото: Reform.news
Witnesses in the Pukhavichy district rescued a father and his underage son from icy water after their fishing boat capsized. The men heard cries for help and pulled the victims ashore, the Emergency Situations Ministry’s press service reported.
The incident occurred on the evening of November 4 on the Ptsich River near the village of Rusakovichy. At around 7:55 p.m., a man born in 1976 went fishing with his son. While they were on the water, the boy noticed that the boat was leaking and alerted his father. The man tried to repair the leak using whatever materials were at hand, but the boat capsized. Both fell into the water and began calling for help.
Their cries were heard by two local residents. One of them was nearby with a relative, repairing a car.
“A voice was shouting: ‘Help! Help, we’re drowning!’ My relative and I got into the car and drove towards the pumping station. We drove with the windows down, shining a torch towards the river. When we heard another cry, we stopped,” the man recalled.
The men spotted the father and son 8–10 metres from the shore. They were holding on to the overturned boat. One of the witnesses took off his outer clothing and shoes and entered the water. He initially tried to swim towards the victims but then returned to get some poles.
“I planted one pole in the mud and extended the other towards the victims. The father was the first to grab it, while holding on to his son. We managed to pull the boy ashore first, followed by his father. The water was freezing cold, and there was mud and sludge everywhere,” the witness recalled.
Another witness also rushed to the scene. He had been at his property that evening. Hearing desperate cries for help, the man quickly got ready and headed towards the river.
“I came out of the bathhouse. It was already dark. I heard cries for help — it was a real scream. I quickly got dressed and hurried towards the sounds. I saw people in the water and handed them a stick. The first witness was pulling the teenager out, while I helped with the father,” he said.
On the shore, the victims were helped to remove their wet clothes and warm up before being taken to the nearest house, where an ambulance was called. The father and son were taken to the central district hospital.
One of the rescuers admitted that it took him a long time to recover from the incident and that he was particularly worried about the teenager.
“I was extremely worried about them, especially the son. He was just a young lad, and his condition was frightening. Even after everything was over, it took me a long time to recover. I couldn’t calm down until two in the morning. What shocked me most was that desperate nighttime cry for help. It is still in my head. I’m glad they are alive,” he said.