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#trending: Boy, 8, drowns in public pool in China without others nearby noticing

HUNAN, CHINA — A boy drowned in a swimming pool in China without others nearby noticing until it was too late. The security camera footage of the incident has since been widely circulated on Chinese social media.

A screenshot from a security camera footage showing the final moments of a boy in a public pool in China before he drowned.

A screenshot from a security camera footage showing the final moments of a boy in a public pool in China before he drowned.

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  • A recording from a security camera showed the final moments of a boy in a public pool in China before he drowned
  • The video has emerged online and is widely circulated
  • The boy went unnoticed by adults nearby the pool and others swimming there 
  • Drowning usually happens quietly and quickly, and signs of drowning may not be obvious sometimes

HUNAN, CHINA — A boy drowned in a swimming pool in China without others nearby noticing until it was too late. The security camera footage of the incident has since been widely circulated on Chinese social media.

The video showed the boy struggling in the water for almost a minute before he turned motionless in a swimming facility in the city of Lianyuan in China's Hunan province.

The drowning of the eight-year-old boy happened on Aug 14, Chinese news media reported. 

The surveillance camera recorded the moment he jumped into the pool near one of its corners.

He immediately began to struggle vigorously in the water while gasping for air, seemingly unable to find his footing in the water that seemed deeper than his height. 

A man in a white T-shirt who stood overlooking the pool did not notice the boy making splashes in a bid to stay afloat. Neither did another person just a few arms' length from the boy. 

At one point, another boy entered the pool near the drowning boy, but after a quick dip, he got out and ran off. He did not seem to be aware that the other boy was facing difficulties in the water.

The drowning boy progressively sunk lower, before he was fully submerged in the water. 

It took close to two minutes before the man in white noticed the boy’s motionless body. He shouted for help and the boy was finally pulled out of the waters. 

A woman wailed next to the boy as lifeguards tried to resuscitate him. Her relationship to the boy is unknown. The boy was eventually pronounced dead.

The authorities there have closed the pool for investigation into the incident, Chinese media reported.

HOW TO SPOT A DROWNING CHILD

Signs of drowning may not be apparent at times. Drownings usually happen quickly and quietly, USA Today news site reported.

In 20 to 60 seconds, oxygen deprivation will set in and a child will sink. Therefore, it is imperative to act quickly when a drowning child is spotted. 

The first tell-tale signs of a person drowning are looks of distress.

Dr Chong Shu-Ling of KK Women's and Children's Hospital's Department of Emergency Medicine said in a 2019 advertorial in TODAY that in this pre-drowning stage, known as aquatic distress, victims are still capable of waving or calling for help.

However, not all drowning victims manifest aquatic distress, especially children. In this case, look out for signs of instinctive drowning response.

Here are some signs of instinctive drowning response, Sport Singapore said:

  1. Head remains low in the water, mouth at water level
  2. Head tilted back with mouth open
  3. Eyes look glassy and empty, inability to focus or closed eyes 
  4. Hair over forehead or eyes
  5. Legs in a vertical position 
  6. Hyperventilation or gasping
  7. Attempts to swim in a particular direction but no headway
  8. Attempts to roll over on the back
  9. Appears to be climbing an invisible ladder
An infographic on indoor drowning statistics by the International Life Saving Federation.

Some final advice for parents — children under the age of four should be kept supervised within an arm's length even if they have proper swimming aids such as floats and water wings. 

Parents might think they can hear their kids screaming for help when they are in danger. However, this is a common misconception because the drowning child will most likely be trying to keep their head above water instead of crying for help. 

Related topics

swimming pool drowning children parents swimming China instinctive drowning response

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