Boy, 5, Recovers After Near-Drowning at Belgian Pool
Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A 5-year-old boy who nearly drowned in an outdoor swimming pool in Wetteren, Belgium, has been released from the hospital.
- The child is recovering and is now back with his family.
- An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities looking into how it occurred.
A 5-year-old boy who was in critical condition after nearly drowning at an outdoor swimming pool in Wetteren, Belgium, has been released from the hospital and is now recovering at home with his family. The incident occurred last Monday afternoon at the De Warande outdoor pool.
One of the lifeguards pulled the toddler out of the water and started resuscitating him.
Lifeguards pulled the child from the water and immediately began resuscitation efforts. Emergency services arrived quickly and transported the boy to the hospital, where he was initially listed as being in life-threatening danger. Fortunately, his condition has since improved significantly.
He is doing better and is back with his family.
The exact circumstances leading to the near-drowning remain unclear, and an investigation is currently underway by the public prosecutor's office. However, local officials noted that the boy's parents had reportedly been denied entry to the outdoor pool shortly before the incident due to not adhering to dress code regulations. They allegedly ignored the ban and allowed their child into the water.
They ignored that ban and let their toddler go into the water.
Following the incident, the municipality held a meeting with emergency services, lifeguards, and other staff to discuss the accident. In response to the event and other recent incidents, stricter access rules have been implemented at the outdoor pool since Monday. Only visitors residing in the East Flanders province are now granted entry, a measure advised by the police and intended to remain in effect until the pool closes for the season on August 30.
All the calamities that have occurred in recent weeks are often due to people coming from outside the province.
Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.