Two people, a woman born in 2006 and a man born in 2004, drowned in the Kapshagai Reservoir in Konayev, the Emergency Department of Almaty Region reported. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The tragedy occurred on July 1 near the 'Dzhasa' recreation zone. According to the Emergency Department, the young people were swimming in an unapproved area.
"On July 1, a call came into the 112 dispatch center of the Almaty Region Emergency Department reporting that two young people had drowned while swimming in an unapproved area near the 'Dzhasa' recreation zone in Konayev," the department said.
Before rescuers arrived, bystanders recovered the body of the woman (born 2006) from the water about 30 meters from the shore. A search and rescue operation was launched for the second missing person, involving forces and resources of the Almaty Region Emergency Department's operational rescue team.
Search operations on the reservoir continued around the clock. On the morning of July 2, rescuers found the body of the man (born 2004) on the shoreline of the Kapshagai Reservoir. Preliminary reports indicate he was in the water with the deceased woman.
Earlier, information about the incident appeared on social media. According to the author of a post on the Instagram account qonaev_qapshagay, a group of young people had come to relax by the water. While some friends were unloading belongings from the car, the man and woman entered the reservoir. At that moment, the wind intensified, waves rose, and the young people began to drown.
The post also stated that one witness tried to save the woman and pulled her from the water, but could not revive her. Preliminary information from social media suggests the woman was from Astana and the man from Taraz.
The Emergency Department reminded that swimming should only be done at equipped beaches. Rescuers urged people not to enter the water in prohibited or unapproved areas, not to leave children unattended, and to follow personal safety measures.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that in the Zhetysu region, a storm on Lake Alakol nearly swept away a family of nine, including seven children, into deep water.