Serhii Kotlubai, a mining foreman at Gannivskyi open-pit mine of Northern GOK, rescued the swan that had flown into the open-pit mine and was unable to get out. It happened during Serhii's shift the day before he was to be sent to the army.
The miners saw the exhausted bird near EGK-90 on the horizon - 30 metres of the north side of the Gannivskyi open-pit mine. The day before, one of the bulldozer drivers working nearby tried to feed the bird and give it water in the hope that it would be able to get out of the open-pit mine on its own. But no. So the workers raised the alarm, because the bird would definitely not have been able to survive in the harsh open pit conditions. Serhii Kotlubai volunteered to try to save the bird.
"Initially, Serhii suggested taking the swan to a small drainage pond near the place where he was working on the excavation, but I advised him to take it to a large pond at the Plyazhna bus stop: the conditions there are more suitable for birds, and the swan will be able to recuperate and continue flying on its way. Of course, the bird hissed aggressively and resisted strongly, so my colleague had a hard time. I suggested that he put his jacket over the bird to make it easier to pick it up. We loaded the bird into the bus truck, brought it to the surface, drove it to the water and released it. The video the men filmed shows that, once in its natural environment, the tired swan seemed to look back at Serhii and bowed its head in gratitude. I don't know if it's true or if we just want to think so... But Serhii's deed was definitely good and noble. May God keep him safe in the war," said Serhii's supervisor, acting head of the section, Dmytro KUNYTSKYI.
Experienced miners tell us that such incidents are not uncommon: every three to four years, these majestic birds become guests of miners in Kryvyi Rih open-pit mines. Swans often get trapped here because of the great depth. Probably, flying over the open pit, they are tempted by the water at its bottom and come down to rest, and then the height of the sides, pressure differences and oncoming air currents prevent them from flying away. A few years ago, a similar story happened at Ingulets GOK: people of Ingulets rescued a whole group of swans. And this year, a stork chose Ingulets GOK: the plant's employees took care of the exhausted bird, and it still lives near its rescuers.
