Information of the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels of the Vitebsk Region for 2023

The State Inspectorate for Small Vessels (hereinafter – SIMS) of the Vitebsk Region informs that in 2023, seven accident incidents involving small vessels (rowing and motorboats, launches, sailboats, jet skis, catamarans) occurred within the territory of our region, resulting in six fatalities and four rescues. The rescued individuals were citizens equipped with life jackets. All fatalities were without life jackets.

The highest number of accident incidents involving small vessels in 2023 (two cases each) was registered in the Braslau (on 09.06.2023, a citizen born in 1960 drowned on Plusy Lake, and on 05.07.2023, a passenger, a citizen born in 1963, died on Strusto Lake) and Chashniki districts (on 01.07.2023, four people were rescued on Lukom Lake – all were equipped with life jackets at the time of falling into the water, and on 26.08.2023, a citizen born in 1955 drowned on Kobylyshcha Lake). Fatalities involving small vessels (one fatality each) were also registered in the Vitebsk (on 13.07.2023, a citizen born in 1962 drowned on the Obolyanka River), Sharokawshchyna (on 18.06.2023, a citizen born in 1959 drowned on Knyaz Lake) and Lepel districts (on 21.08.2023, a passenger, a citizen born in 1976, died on Lepel Lake).

The causes of fatalities in the aforementioned incidents were:

disregard for basic safety measures when operating small vessels regarding the failure of the deceased to wear a life jacket (according to item 9 of the Rules for the Operation of Small Vessels, the vessel operator and persons on board a small vessel during movement must be wearing fastened life jackets);
operation of small vessels while intoxicated (according to paragraph 4 of item 16 of the Rules for the Operation of Small Vessels, the vessel operator is prohibited from operating a small vessel while intoxicated...);

movement of persons on board a small vessel during its operation (according to paragraph 3 of item 18 of the Rules for the Operation of Small Vessels, it is prohibited: movement of persons on a deckless small vessel during its operation);

operation of small vessels (including homemade ones) with outboard motors that have not undergone state registration and technical inspection (in accordance with paragraph 3 of item 19 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels);

operation of a small vessel is prohibited if it has not undergone state registration and classification, and technical inspection in the established manner);

operation of a small vessel in conditions of reduced visibility or in adverse weather conditions (in accordance with paragraph 11 of item 16 of the Rules);

for the use of small vessels, navigation of a vessel in fog or other adverse meteorological conditions is prohibited).

In 4 out of 6 cases, fatalities were recorded on a manually propelled homemade vessel of individual construction that is not subject to registration. In 70% of cases, loss of life occurred from 17:00 on Friday to

18:00 on Sunday, usually at a considerable distance from the shore, and in 84%

of cases, the deceased were under the influence of alcohol.

By analyzing the causes and conditions that contributed to the fatal accident, it can be stated that having people on a small vessel with a properly fastened life jacket maximizes their chances of survival in the event of falling into the water.

In 2023, for violations of the rules for the use of small vessels, officials of the State Inspectorate for Small Ships of the Vitebsk Region issued 868 rulings on bringing small vessel operators to administrative liability.

In the case of vessel operators in the Braslaw and Lepel districts who are guilty of passenger fatalities resulting from the capsizing of a small vessel they were operating, the issue of initiating a criminal case under Article 316 "Violation of Safety Rules for Navigation or Operation of Small Vessels" of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus is being considered, for which the maximum penalty is imprisonment for a term of four to ten years.

FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF A SMALL VESSEL, THE VESSEL OPERATOR IS PROHIBITED FROM:

operate a motorized small vessel with an engine power exceeding 3.7 kilowatts (5 horsepower) without having on hand a license to operate a motorized small vessel or an international license to operate a pleasure craft;
operate a small vessel while in a condition of illness or fatigue that endangers navigation safety, or under the influence of medications that impair attention and reaction time;
operate a small vessel while under the influence of alcohol and/or in a state induced by the use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances;
transfer control of a small vessel to a person who does not have the right to operate a small vessel, to a person who does not have on hand a license to operate a motorized small vessel or an international license to operate a pleasure craft, as well as to a person who is under the influence of alcohol and/or in a state induced by the use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances
operate a small vessel that is in a faulty technical condition and/or without the necessary equipment kit, in violation of the conditions specified in its classification certificate;

in violation of the conditions specified in its classification certificate;

leave a water area unattended;
violate load capacity and maximum number of persons on board regulations;
use an engine on a small vessel that exceeds the maximum permissible power and/or quantity, as well as install an engine on rowing small vessels;
set sail without a vessel ticket and a certificate of vessel operation approval on a small vessel subject to state registration, classification, and technical inspection;
navigate in fog or other adverse meteorological conditions where orientation is impossible due to lack of visibility;
create obstacles to the navigation of other vessels;
navigating small vessels without prescribed signal lights during nighttime;
entering waters designated for swimming, approaching closer than 50 meters to the marked swimming boundaries at beaches, and when operating motorized small vessels using water skis or similar equipment, approaching closer than 100 meters to such boundaries;
mooring to navigational aids; stopping a small vessel or anchoring within the limits of

navigable waters, in the zone of bridges and under bridges;

transporting dangerous goods;
towing small vessels with people on board or alongside;

All small vessels are subject to mandatory registration and classification (except for rowing boats, kayaks, and inflatable vessels with a load capacity of less than 225 kilograms). The owner must register a small vessel within 30 calendar days from the date of its purchase or acquisition on any other lawful basis.

Operation of a small vessel is permitted only after registration in the vessel register, application of side numbers, and technical inspection, which is conducted immediately after state registration or during its operation.

Based on this, the GIMS of the Vitebsk Region urges citizens to comply with the established requirements when operating small vessels and to ensure maximum safety in their use. By complying with the established safety rules, you ensure your own life and the lives of those around you - your life is in your own hands. Do not disregard these rules!