Witnesses film man's death under ice near Volgograd

Rescuers recovered the body of a 41-year-old man from the waters of the Volgograd backwater on 19 January. His final moments were captured on video by bystanders who were nearby.

The footage was shot at night near a landing stage between the hamlet of Bobry and Krasnoslobodsk. The man fell through the ice in this area while attempting a traditional Epiphany baptismal plunge.

The video clearly captures the drowning man«s screams and the measured conversation of the two witnesses filming him.

Drowning man: Help!

Witness 1: Can you see him on camera?

Witness 2: Can you see him? I can«t.

Drowning man: Help!

Witness 2: There»s a person in a hood running! Hold on a minute.

Drowning man: Please, I«m drowning!

Witness 2: Oh my god, where is he, damn it, is he there?

Drowning man: Help! He went under the ice...

Witness 1: Where»s the voice coming from if he went under the ice?

Drowning man: ...give me a rope, do something, help!

Witness 2: I just can«t see him... Where is he, damn it? There he is! I can see him.

Drowning man: Help!

Witness 2: Damn it... There, see? There he is.

Drowning man: Help, is anyone here? Call someone!

Witness 1: Hold on!

Witness 2: What should we do?

Witness 1: Hold on, a guy is coming your way.

Witness 2: Should we call?....

The video cuts off on this remark.

Evgeny Vystropov, head of the investigative department for the Sredneakhtubinsky district of the Volgograd region of Russia«s Investigative Committee (SK), stated that the man headed to an unorganized baptismal font after midnight.

«According to preliminary data, he went for a swim in an unorganized font on Epiphany night. The man went onto the ice alone: after midnight, park guards heard his screams but were unable to save him—when they ran to the scene, he had already gone under the water,» said Evgeny Vystropov. «He had no documents on him; his identity was established via personal belongings: a phone, a bank card, and a notepad. An orange bag with his belongings was left on the ice, which also helped identify the drowned man. His friends also arrived at the scene after discovering the man was not answering calls. The deceased lived alone: he is divorced and has an adult child and parents. There is no criminal element in this case, only thin ice.»