When many community members envision swimming pool accidents they usually think of young toddlers who wander off and mistakenly fall into a pool without supervision.  These types of incidents do occur with alarming frequency.  However, many swimming pool drownings are different and strike while victims are surrounded by dozens of other swimmers and lifeguards.  Because these accidents take such a short time they often happen right under the noses of others.

For example, the Boston Herald reported this week on the tragic death of a first grade child in a pool accident.  7-year old Aaditya Basrur was swimming in an outdoor pool at the St. John’s High School last week.  The swimming session was part of the school’s summer camp program.  Aaditya was in the water with at least 40 other young children between the ages of 5 and 12 at the time.  Three lifeguards were on duty and six counselors were also around the area when the boy drowned.

According to reports the young child was pulled from the water after others noticed that he was in trouble.  He was unconscious at the time.  Aaditya was brought to a local hospital where he died from his injuries this week.

As this tragic loss shows, swimming pool accidents can occur in virtually all circumstances.  Many remain surprised that this type of tragedy could strike while so many others were around.  However, an overcrowded pool can actually make drowning even more likely to occur.  If there are too many people in a pool at once it is difficult for lifeguards and supervisors to notice when a single child is struggling.  The chaos of water filled with 40 young swimmers makes it difficult to make out the specific movement of individual swimmers.  If guards cannot tell whether each individual is safe, then it is possible for one child to slip under without notice.  It takes only a short time for that child to suffer life-threatening injuries.

Our swimming pool accident lawyer at the J. Guerra Law Firm reminds all pool operators of the importance of ensuring that their lifeguards are properly trained and rested whenever they are on-duty.  Failure in this regard can have deadly consequences.  When the lives of our children are on the line there is no room for error.  If a pool operator has failed to provide a safe swimming environment it is important to contact a swimming pool attorney to ensure that changes are made to ensure future pool safety.

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