[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A tragic accident at an indoor swimming pool in China left an 11-year-old boy dead after his arm was sucked into a pool drain.
Because of the powerful suction, even three adults could not pull the boy out. He was only recovered after the drain pump was shut off.
According to Chinese media outlets, including Jimu News, the accident occurred at around 4:50 p.m. on the 6th at a swimming pool inside a fitness center in Gaobeidian City, Hebei Province.
CCTV footage released from the scene shows the 11-year-old boy swimming in a shallow area when his left arm was pulled into a circulation drain installed on the side wall. His arm was drawn in up to near the shoulder joint, and the strong suction prevented him from escaping.
The boy is said to have struggled underwater for about three to five minutes.
Rescue did not begin immediately after he went under. Another child reportedly noticed something was wrong only about three minutes later and ran out of the pool to alert the guardians waiting outside.
After hearing the news, the boy's mother and a swimming instructor rushed to the scene. The instructor jumped into the water at once and tried to rescue him, but the drain's suction was so strong that even three adults working together could not pull the boy's arm free.
The instructor later realized that the drain pump was still running. He forcibly opened the locked electrical room, cut the power, and only then, after the pump stopped, was he able to remove the boy's arm from the drain.
By the time the boy was brought to the surface, he was reportedly without breathing or a pulse.
The bereaved family said the drain was about 15 centimeters in diameter and installed roughly 80 centimeters below the water surface, but had no safety devices such as a protective cover.
They also said no lifeguard was on duty at the time. Instead, only one female employee was working while looking at her mobile phone, and was not properly monitoring the pool.
Local authorities are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident and the pool's safety management.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
