Inflatable mattresses, airbeds, and others.

Very often, while resting on the water, people use various inflatable items. Swimming on them is dangerous, and for a person who cannot swim, it often ends tragically. Inflatable rings and mattresses are very light; even a slight wind or current is enough to carry them away over long distances. If you get distracted for a few minutes, the shore may be out of reach. A mattress can be swept away by a wave, it can slip from under the swimmer and cover them completely. Moreover, any inflatable item may have a hidden defect that is not always detected in time: it may lose air and become unbuoyant at any moment.

On June 29, 2020, in the Pinsk district, a 12-year-old boy drowned. The tragedy occurred at an abandoned pond near the village of Hankovichi. Two boys - cousins - were there without adults. The children were swimming using a device made from empty plastic bottles. One of the brothers accidentally slipped off the homemade raft into the water. The boy could not swim and began to drown. His brother started calling for help. A woman nearby heard the cries and called the rescuers. Unfortunately, they could not save the boy. He was retrieved from a depth of two meters, 5 meters from the shore.

On July 6, 2020, in Grodno at Jubilee Lake, a 5-year-old girl was miraculously rescued. The child was resting at the water body with her mother. The girl was swimming in an inflatable ring. A gust of wind began to carry it away from the shore. The girl got scared, climbed out of the ring to return to her mother, and found herself in deep water. Rescuers arrived by boat, pulled the child from the water, and handed her over to her mother. Fortunately, everything ended well.