NAVIGATION 2023 – SUMMING UP
Interview with the State Inspector of the Lepel Section of the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels (GIMS), Burkan Alexey Grigoryevich.
Question: Alexey Grigoryevich, what were the results of the navigation period in the outgoing year in the Beshenkovichi district and in the Vitebsk region as a whole.
Unfortunately, in 2023, 7 accidents involving small vessels (rowboats and motorboats, boats, sailboats, jet skis, catamarans) occurred in our region, resulting in 6 deaths and 4 rescues. The rescued individuals were wearing life jackets. All those who died were not wearing life jackets.
The largest number of transport accidents involving small vessels in 2023 (2 cases each) were registered in the Braslav (June 9, 2023, a citizen born in 1960 drowned in Lake Plyusy, and July 5, 2023, a passenger, a citizen born in 1963, died in Lake Strusto) and Chashniksky districts (July 1, 2023, 4 people were rescued on Lake Lukomskoye – all were wearing life jackets at the time of falling into the water, and August 26, 2023, a citizen born in 1955 drowned in Lake Kobylshchina). Fatalities involving small vessels (1 death each) were also registered in the Vitebsk (July 13, 2023, a citizen born in 1962 drowned in the Oblyanka River) and Sharkovshchinsky districts.
(18.06.2023, a citizen born in 1959 drowned in Lake Knyazh) and Lepel district (21.08.2023, a passenger born in 1976 died on Lake Lepelskoye). Fortunately, boat owners in Beshenkovichi district have been spared from such incidents this year, which is a relief.
Question: What specific rules or regulations were violated by the boat operators in the mentioned cases.
The causes of death in the specified cases were:
disregard for elementary safety measures when using small vessels, specifically the failure of the deceased to wear life jackets (in accordance with clause 9 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, the operator and persons on board a small vessel must wear fastened life jackets while in motion);
operating small vessels while under the influence of alcohol (in accordance with paragraph 4 of clause 16 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited for the operator to control a small vessel while under the influence of alcohol...);
movement of persons on board a small vessel while it is in motion (in accordance with paragraph 3 of clause 18 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to move persons on an open small vessel while it is in motion);
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 clause 19 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to operate a small vessel if it has not undergone state registration in the prescribed manner andclassification, and technical inspection);
operation of a small vessel in conditions of limited visibility or adverse weather conditions (in accordance with paragraph 11 of clause 16 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to operate a vessel in fog or other adverse meteorological conditions).
Question: At what time and under what circumstances do these violations primarily occur?
In 4 out of 6 cases, fatalities were registered on homemade rowing vessels of individual construction, not subject to registration. In 70% of cases, fatalities occurred from 5:00 PM on Friday to 6:00 PM on Sunday, typically at a significant distance from the shore, and in 84% of cases, the deceased were intoxicated.
Analyzing the causes and conditions that contributed to accidents involving fatalities, it can be stated that wearing a fastened life jacket on a small vessel maximizes the survival rate when falling into the water.
For violations of the rules for the use of small vessels in 2023, GIMS employees of the Vitebsk region issued 868 resolutions on bringing small vessel operators to administrative responsibility. In the area of responsibility of the Lepel GIMS unit, which includes (Beshenkovichi, Ushachi, Chashniki, and Lepel) districts, 78 citizens were brought to responsibility.
Regarding vessel operators in the Braslav and Lepel districts, who were guilty of the deaths of passengers who were on board the small vesselin case of its capsizing, the issue of initiating a criminal case under Article 316 "Violation of safety rules for the movement or operation of small vessels" of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus is being considered, the maximum liability under which is imprisonment for a term of four to ten years.
Question: Alexey Grigorievich, can you remind skippers what is prohibited for the safe operation of a small vessel?
operating a motor small vessel with an engine power exceeding 3.7 kilowatts (5 horsepower) without having a certificate for the right to operate a motor small vessel or an international certificate for the right to operate a pleasure craft;
operating a small vessel in a painful or fatigued state that endangers navigation safety, under the influence of medications that reduce attention and reaction speed;
operating a small vessel while intoxicated and (or) in a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances;
transferring the 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 a certificate for the right to operate a motor small vessel or an international certificate for the right to operate a pleasure craft,and also a person who is in a state of alcoholic intoxication and (or) a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances
to operate a small vessel that is in a faulty technical condition and (or) without the necessary set of equipment, in violation of the conditions specified in its certificate of classification;
to leave a water area unattended;
to violate the load capacity and permissible number of people on board;
to use an engine on a small vessel that exceeds the maximum permissible power and (or) number, as well as to install an engine on rowing small vessels;
to set sail in the absence of a vessel registration and classification, technical inspection, vessel certificate and certificate of vessel's operational readiness;
to navigate a vessel in fog or other adverse weather conditions when visibility is impossible due to lack of visibility;
to interfere with the navigation of other vessels;
to set sail on; in dark hours, on small vessels without prescribed signal lights;
enter areas designated for swimming, approach within 50 meters of the marked boundaries of swimming areas near beaches, and when operating motor small vessels with water skis or similar equipment, approach within 100 meters of such boundaries;
moor to floating navigation marks;
stop a small vessel or anchor within the fairway, in the zone of bridges and under bridges;
transport hazardous cargo;
tow small vessels with people on board or under the side.
All small vessels (except for rowing boats, kayaks, and inflatable vessels with a carrying capacity of less than 225 kilograms) are subject to mandatory registration and classification. The owner must register the small vessel within 30 calendar days from the date of purchase of the small vessel or acquisition thereof on any other legal basis.
Operation of a small vessel is possible only after registration in the vessel register, application of side numbers, and technical inspection, carried out immediately afterstate registration or during its operation.
Question: What would you like to say or remind our shipowners.
I urge all citizens to comply with the established requirements when operating small vessels and to ensure their safe use as much as possible. By observing the established safety rules, you guarantee your life and the lives of citizens around you - your life is in your hands. Do not neglect these rules and be healthy!
Question: Alexey Grigoryevich, what were the results of the navigation period in the outgoing year in the Beshenkovichi district and in the Vitebsk region as a whole.
Unfortunately, in 2023, 7 accidents involving small vessels (rowboats and motorboats, boats, sailboats, jet skis, catamarans) occurred in our region, resulting in 6 deaths and 4 rescues. The rescued individuals were wearing life jackets. All those who died were not wearing life jackets.
The largest number of transport accidents involving small vessels in 2023 (2 cases each) were registered in the Braslav (June 9, 2023, a citizen born in 1960 drowned in Lake Plyusy, and July 5, 2023, a passenger, a citizen born in 1963, died in Lake Strusto) and Chashniksky districts (July 1, 2023, 4 people were rescued on Lake Lukomskoye – all were wearing life jackets at the time of falling into the water, and August 26, 2023, a citizen born in 1955 drowned in Lake Kobylshchina). Fatalities involving small vessels (1 death each) were also registered in the Vitebsk (July 13, 2023, a citizen born in 1962 drowned in the Oblyanka River) and Sharkovshchinsky districts.
(18.06.2023, a citizen born in 1959 drowned in Lake Knyazh) and Lepel district (21.08.2023, a passenger born in 1976 died on Lake Lepelskoye). Fortunately, boat owners in Beshenkovichi district have been spared from such incidents this year, which is a relief.
Question: What specific rules or regulations were violated by the boat operators in the mentioned cases.
The causes of death in the specified cases were:
disregard for elementary safety measures when using small vessels, specifically the failure of the deceased to wear life jackets (in accordance with clause 9 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, the operator and persons on board a small vessel must wear fastened life jackets while in motion);
operating small vessels while under the influence of alcohol (in accordance with paragraph 4 of clause 16 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited for the operator to control a small vessel while under the influence of alcohol...);
movement of persons on board a small vessel while it is in motion (in accordance with paragraph 3 of clause 18 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to move persons on an open small vessel while it is in motion);
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 clause 19 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to operate a small vessel if it has not undergone state registration in the prescribed manner andclassification, and technical inspection);
operation of a small vessel in conditions of limited visibility or adverse weather conditions (in accordance with paragraph 11 of clause 16 of the Rules for the Use of Small Vessels, it is prohibited to operate a vessel in fog or other adverse meteorological conditions).
Question: At what time and under what circumstances do these violations primarily occur?
In 4 out of 6 cases, fatalities were registered on homemade rowing vessels of individual construction, not subject to registration. In 70% of cases, fatalities occurred from 5:00 PM on Friday to 6:00 PM on Sunday, typically at a significant distance from the shore, and in 84% of cases, the deceased were intoxicated.
Analyzing the causes and conditions that contributed to accidents involving fatalities, it can be stated that wearing a fastened life jacket on a small vessel maximizes the survival rate when falling into the water.
For violations of the rules for the use of small vessels in 2023, GIMS employees of the Vitebsk region issued 868 resolutions on bringing small vessel operators to administrative responsibility. In the area of responsibility of the Lepel GIMS unit, which includes (Beshenkovichi, Ushachi, Chashniki, and Lepel) districts, 78 citizens were brought to responsibility.
Regarding vessel operators in the Braslav and Lepel districts, who were guilty of the deaths of passengers who were on board the small vesselin case of its capsizing, the issue of initiating a criminal case under Article 316 "Violation of safety rules for the movement or operation of small vessels" of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus is being considered, the maximum liability under which is imprisonment for a term of four to ten years.
Question: Alexey Grigorievich, can you remind skippers what is prohibited for the safe operation of a small vessel?
operating a motor small vessel with an engine power exceeding 3.7 kilowatts (5 horsepower) without having a certificate for the right to operate a motor small vessel or an international certificate for the right to operate a pleasure craft;
operating a small vessel in a painful or fatigued state that endangers navigation safety, under the influence of medications that reduce attention and reaction speed;
operating a small vessel while intoxicated and (or) in a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances;
transferring the 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 a certificate for the right to operate a motor small vessel or an international certificate for the right to operate a pleasure craft,and also a person who is in a state of alcoholic intoxication and (or) a state caused by the consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances
to operate a small vessel that is in a faulty technical condition and (or) without the necessary set of equipment, in violation of the conditions specified in its certificate of classification;
to leave a water area unattended;
to violate the load capacity and permissible number of people on board;
to use an engine on a small vessel that exceeds the maximum permissible power and (or) number, as well as to install an engine on rowing small vessels;
to set sail in the absence of a vessel registration and classification, technical inspection, vessel certificate and certificate of vessel's operational readiness;
to navigate a vessel in fog or other adverse weather conditions when visibility is impossible due to lack of visibility;
to interfere with the navigation of other vessels;
to set sail on; in dark hours, on small vessels without prescribed signal lights;
enter areas designated for swimming, approach within 50 meters of the marked boundaries of swimming areas near beaches, and when operating motor small vessels with water skis or similar equipment, approach within 100 meters of such boundaries;
moor to floating navigation marks;
stop a small vessel or anchor within the fairway, in the zone of bridges and under bridges;
transport hazardous cargo;
tow small vessels with people on board or under the side.
All small vessels (except for rowing boats, kayaks, and inflatable vessels with a carrying capacity of less than 225 kilograms) are subject to mandatory registration and classification. The owner must register the small vessel within 30 calendar days from the date of purchase of the small vessel or acquisition thereof on any other legal basis.
Operation of a small vessel is possible only after registration in the vessel register, application of side numbers, and technical inspection, carried out immediately afterstate registration or during its operation.
Question: What would you like to say or remind our shipowners.
I urge all citizens to comply with the established requirements when operating small vessels and to ensure their safe use as much as possible. By observing the established safety rules, you guarantee your life and the lives of citizens around you - your life is in your hands. Do not neglect these rules and be healthy!