Armenians, including minors, were among the casualties of a tragic accident in Chelyabinsk region of Russia. The terrible accident, which claimed seven lives, took place Sunday evening. According to the local media, one of the men was sailing on his boat with two of his children and nephews on Maximka river. The boat suddenly overturned, the passengers appearing under it. They cried for help, and upon hearing them two other men on the river bank jumped into the water for help but they drowned as well. The bodies of two men, 40 and 45, as well as those of a 10 year-old girl and 2-year-old boy were taken out of the water. The bodies of 8- and 15-year-old boys were found later. One man is still being searched, MK reports. 

Only four out of nine people on the boat managed to survive. Deputy Governor of Chelyabinsk Oleg Kilmov told journalists that the men used alcohol on the river bank and then set out in an aluminum boat. Theye were celebrating the completion of the 9th form of one of the children.

According to the official information, the water basin was designed neither for swimming nor for sailing on a boat. The incident occurred 50-100 meter far from the river bank. According to the same source, none of the dead citizens observed the security rules, having no lifejacket on. The police have launched a criminal case into the incident,

According to the information of Armenian News - NEWS.am, the men on Maximka water basin were from Armenia's Vanadzor city. They had become permanent residents of Chelyabinsk for already several years.