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Warning on swimming pools follows kid’s death

The warning has come in the wake of the death of a five-year-old Syrian boy who drowned in the Ajman Beach Hotel swimming pool on Friday.

“The negligence of hotel administrations and parents contributed to the death of the boy who drowned after struggling in the water for 10 minutes without anyone paying attention. The hotel administration should keep strict supervision specially on children’s pools and ensure that the lifeguards are doing their jobs,” said Brigadier Adil Al Matroushi, Assistant Director of Ajman Civil Defence. “The lifeguard should have closed the pool or assigned another staff member to supervise it until he returns,” he said.

He pointed out that Ameer Sameer Noufal who was rushed to Khalifa Hospital by civil defence personnel never regained his consciousness and died at the Hospital.

Brig. Al Matroushi said the Department does not issue licences for swimming pools if the establishments operating them did not provide a proof of appointment of two lifeguards and a pool administrator. The lifeguards should be available all time at the pool, he stressed.

An Ajman police source said that the lifeguard of the hotel is in their custody for interrogation, but stressed that they cannot blame the accident on any one until the investigation is over and the case is referred to the court. “The report of forensic pathologist proved that the the boy’s death was caused by drowning,” he added

Speaking to Khaleej Times, boy’s uncle Nassir Nofal said the parents who are residing in Ajman went to the hotel to spend the weekend. The boy told his mother that he will be playing around. His mother warned him not go to a far place. The boy went to the children’s pool and tried to swim while the lifeguard on duty was monitoring another pool. By the time he came back, the boy had drowned and he couldn’t save him.

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