Korean boy, 9, drowns in pool

A nine-year-old Korean boy drowned while swimming in a pool at the Aqua Cainta Resort in barangay Pooc, Talisay City, last Thursday afternoon.

The victim was identified as Jay Hyong Choi, a student of Success English Learning Academy located in Forest Hills in Banawa, barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

An investigation conducted by policemen led by SPO1 Kenneth Abella revealed that Choi was together with 20 other Korean children who had just checked-in at the resort last Wednesday at about 6:30 p.m.

The students, who were enrolled for a three-week special course in English lessons, were accompanied by school officials.

Police said at about 1:30 in the afternoon, the fatality, along with his other classmates, went swimming after their lunch in the resort.

Reynaldo Cellon, 23, a designated pool attendant, said he last saw the fatality and his classmates using the slide of the pool in taking dives.

About 15 minutes later, Cellon said he just noticed that the victim appeared unconscious underwater. The boy was immediately retrieved and rushed to the Talisay City District Hospital.

Clarissa Brigoli, the attending physician of the hospital, said Choi was pronounced dead on arrival of the hospital. Choi's body was later brought to the Saint Francis Funeral Homes for an autopsy to determine the real cause of his death.

Although police are convinced there is no foul play in the incident, they attributed it directly to the negligence of the resort owner and the failure to hire lifeguards to watch over the customers in the resort. - Garry B. Lao