In the Vitebsk region, during the mass gathering of mushrooms and berries, 25 people were officially searched for after getting lost

September 26, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Since the beginning of the mass berry and mushroom picking season, official searches for people lost in the forests of the Vitebsk region have been conducted at least 25 times, the information and public relations department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate told a BELTA correspondent. Fortunately, most of the missing people have been found. However, two people are still listed as missing. A 78-year-old resident of Vitebsk got lost in the forests of Polotsk in early July, and a 58-year-old Minsk resident, who came to visit and pick mushrooms, has been missing in the Miory district since September 15. No request for help in searching for unfortunate mushroom pickers goes unnoticed. Rescuers come to the aid of police officers, and volunteers join in. For example, a grandmother and her three-year-old granddaughter were searched for about eight hours in the forests of Orsha by almost thirty people and several units of equipment. The search is always conducted free of charge, while in neighboring Baltic countries, only relatives of those lost in the forests are involved in searching for them. According to employees of the internal affairs bodies and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the number of requests for help in searching for people lost in the forest this year is several times higher than in previous years. In this regard, they appeal to all residents of the region and their guests with a request to be careful and attentive when going into the forest, to remember that an extra bucket of mushrooms or berries is not worth a human life. When going into the forest, you must take care of your own safety and strictly follow the rules of conduct in the forest. For example, you should inform your relatives and friends about your trip in advance, take a charged mobile phone, water, matches, a raincoat, a whistle with you, and wear a bright jacket when going into the forest. -0-