At the Chaika beach in the Korabelnyi district of Mykolaiv on June 26, 2026 a tragedy nearly occurred: according to an eyewitness, a girl began to drown far from the shore. The child was saved thanks to concerned people who reacted quickly and swam to her aid.
The dangerous situation was reported by a reader in the #нампишуть section.
“Today at Chaika beach a girl began to drown very far from the shore. I ran along the beach and found people who could help; a couple of people couldn’t, then I approached one man — he quickly took some kind of SUP board on which, as I understood, his wife was riding, and together they swam after her. They rescued her immediately, but she seemed almost unconscious. The only thing that bothers me is that adult men stood nearby and did not react. The people who saved her are heroes ❤️”
After the story was published, a heated discussion began in the comments. Some readers believe that the main question – is to the parents who let children go to the water alone, especially when it’s about ages around 9-12 years and an unregulated beach.
One reader addressed specifically the parents of children who go to the beach without adults.
“A big question to the parents of 9-12-year-old children who let them go to this beach alone: tell me, do you have spare children, or don’t you know the power of the water (the current), and most importantly you know that the beach is unregulated and yet you still let them go, please think.”
Other readers emphasize that the problem is much broader. They say people still go to the water in the heat, and formally closing the beach does not solve the safety issue. In their opinion, such locations should have lifeguards, a medic, a boat, buoys, a surveyed bottom and minimal conditions for recreation.
User Artur wrote in the comments that officially closing the beach looks like a way to avoid taking responsibility.
“The beach is officially closed so as not to bear responsibility; for it to be opened there must be a medic on duty, rescuers with a boat, fenced off with buoys, the bottom inspected by divers, the water meeting sanitary standards… and it’s not about the war, it was closed even during the war, under the pretext of cholera, so as not to pay for all of this; the only one benefiting is the local watering hole”
Another reader pointed out that children often tell parents one thing but actually go swimming. She also raised the issue of access to swimming pools and teaching children to swim.
User AlexandRovna noted that the problem is not only parental control but also the lack of systematic preparation of children for safe behavior in the water.
“Children say they went for a walk, but actually—to the river to swim. Who really listens to whom? Think of yourselves.
The problem is that children cannot swim, and adults do not know how to provide first aid if necessary. Attending a pool, especially with a coach, is very expensive for the majority of the population. But it is very important! In Europe, from birth all children swim in a pool, and in kindergarten and school swimming lessons are mandatory.
Question to the authorities – why are you needed if you are unable to ensure basic safety at the three beaches of the city?
The toilet on our beach – a separate horror film and an indictment of the local leaders.”
The comments also contained the view that you cannot shift all responsibility onto the authorities if children come to the water without adult supervision.
“What do the authorities have to do with this? Look after your own children! Or shall we attach a “SENYU” to every child!? We don’t have that many “SENY” for the whole Mykolaiv?!🤔”
The situation at Chaika again highlighted a painful issue for Mykolaiv: formally the beach can be considered closed, but in fact people still relax there. In the heat adults and children still go to the water, which means the risks do not disappear.
Therefore the responsibility here is twofold. Parents must understand: a child near the water without supervision is a danger. But the authorities cannot pretend for years that the problem does not exist if people massively use such recreation spots.
Today the child was saved by concerned people. But the main question remains open: what will happen tomorrow if there are no people nearby who can help in time?
Previously we wrote:
- An inflatable ring found, the child not: search halted due to risks to divers
- Water takes lives: 8 people have drowned in the Mykolaiv region since the beginning of the year
- A young man swam to a friend and did not resurface: 6 people died on the water in Ukraine in one day
- Children’s screams and tears on the shore: tragedy at Namyv in Mykolaiv
- Beware of microbes: microbiological contamination of the water found at the beach in the Korabelnyi district
