Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Three minors tragically drowned in an artificial pond formed in the riverbed of the Parkentsoy canal in Parkent District, Tashkent Region, according to Hayot Shamsutdinov, spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a man-made water basin, approximately 20 by 40 meters in size and about two meters deep, had formed on the canal. The site lacked fencing or warning signs, and no awareness campaigns had been conducted to inform local residents of the potential danger. No measures had been taken to eliminate the risk.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of 14 June, when a group of children approached the dried-out riverbed where water had accumulated in a depression. As a result, three schoolboys — aged 13, 12, and 11 — all students at the same school, drowned.

A criminal case has been initiated under Articles 116 (“Improper Performance of Professional Duties”) and 207 (“Negligence”) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Investigative authorities have launched procedural actions to thoroughly determine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.