A 17- year- old boy and form one student at Kibomet secondary school drowned in a swimming pool at Le – Voyage Resort in Trans Nzoia County.
David Ndegwa Rukwaru drowned while swimming with his friends at the facility Wednesday.
Speaking to KNA in Kitale Thursday, the hotel’s manager Michael Werunga said there was a huge crowd at the pool and it was difficult to notice what was happening to all customers.
He said the deceased was in a company of three friends who had joined other people at the pool.
“They went straight to the changing room and changed their clothes, made payment and proceeded to the swimming pool,” the manager said.
The deceased and his friends swam two times across the pool before undertaking backstroke only to drown near the shallow end.
His friends realized that he was missing only to spot him on the floor of the 4.5 feet pool. First aid was conducted on the victim before rushing him to Mt Elgon hospital.
Trans Nzoia West police boss Jackson Mwenga confirming the incident said that the boy was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
“The body is lying at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting postmortem,” he said.
He urged parents and hotel attendants to work together in protecting children visiting swimming pools and related water masses if they are to prevent such incidents especially during this festive period.
However, he said, this was the very first ugly incident to happen at the resort.
By Pauline Ikanda
