Dubai lifeguard jailed over accidental drowning of swimmer in hotel pool

Dubai lifeguard jailed over accidental drowning of swimmer in hotel pool

Heleft hotel poolside unattended, unsupervised 

source:

• By Bassam Za’za’, Legal and Court Correspondent
• Published: 18:07 May 21, 2013

Dubai: A lifeguard has been jailed for one month after he was found liable for the accidental death of a swimmer, who drowned in a hotel’s pool that was left unattended.

The Dubai Misdemeanour Court convicted the 31-year-old Filipino lifeguard, R.B., of failing to do his job professionally and acting negligently when he left the hotel’s swimming pool unattended and unsupervised.

“The accused has been jailed for one month and fined Dh2000. He will also be deported following the completion of his punishment,” said the judge

According to the accusation sheet, prosecutors accused R.B. of causing the 38-year-old Indian swimmer’s accidental death when he breached the safety and security measures and left the pool unattended.

The defendant pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court.

Prosecution records said a Belgian teenager was present at the poolside when he spotted the victim in the bottom of the pool in July.

“I was sitting at the poolside around 10am when the victim dived into the pool and started swimming. A minute later I discovered that the victim had drowned to the bottom and was motionless. I rushed to the security and informed them,” said the teenager.

Meanwhile R.B. claimed during questioning: “When I made sure that he was swimming properly, I went down to the gym’s reception to bring some towels up to the poolside. Around 10:30am the teenager came and informed me that the victim drowned. I rushed back to the poolside and when I saw him not moving I dived in and dragged him out. I gave him first aid and asked my co-worker to call an ambulance. Then he was rushed to hospital.”

Records cited the lifeguard saying that he saw the Indian using the pool four times before the incident happened.

“He was a good swimmer. The teenager informed me that the victim spent nearly two minutes at the bottom of the pool. I admit that I was mistaken for leaving the pool unattended and unsupervised… but I did so because I was alone and went down to bring towels,” claimed the defendant.

The victim’s wife claimed to police that her husband learned swimming a month before he drowned.

Dubai Police’s forensic examiner confirmed that the victim died of drowning.

The primary judgment remains subject to appeal within one week.