Little boy’s pool incident exposes safety risks

A pool incident where a young child almost drowned is raising concerns over safety, with the Green party weighing in trying to find ways to propose additional legislation for private swimming sites.

(Click here for an update to the story)

A 4-year-old boy from Russia, who was vacationing in Cyprus with his parents, is in critical condition after he fell into a swimming pool Tuesday at the family’s vacation rental home in Peristerona, Paphos district.

Reports said the boy fell into the pool during a moment where he was not under the watchful eyes of his parents, but it was not immediately clear how quickly he was discovered in the water.

He received first aid on the spot and was taken first to Polis Chrysochous hospital and then Paphos General where a C-scan was performed. The boy was then transported by helicopter to Nicosia’s Makarios Children Hospital, where doctors said his condition was critical.

The incident drew many reactions as the issue of regulating swimming pools more strictly had been a topic of debate in the House, including issues ranging from safety, tax, and environment and water management.

According to Green party MP Charalambos Theopemptou, regulations governing the use of swimming pools are either ineffective or nonexistent.

Theopemptou, who spoke to 24News on Wednesday, said that private swimming pools should be equipped with covers, so that anyone who may lose balance or a young unsupervised child would not fall in the water.

But the MP said he is still looking for ways to propose legislation, as there is no clear indication as to which law and under what circumstances could be amended to include such rules.

Theopemptou also said that private swimming pools in apartment complexes, where multiple people can use the facility, ought to fall under the same category with public pools where a lifeguard on duty would be required at all times during hours when swimming is allowed.