Drowned boy tragedy: public outcry over pool negligence

A surveillance camera captured the heartbreaking moment when a little boy lost his grip on his life buoy and drowned on October 1, leaving netizens grieving over what they perceive as a preventable tragedy.

The video footage at an indoor swimming pool in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, revealed the boy lying on his buoy, desperately struggling to stay afloat at 2:20pm.

Despite being surrounded by other adult swimmers just meters away, no one seemed to notice the boy's distress during the minutes he fought for his life.

It took a staggering 8 minutes for a man to finally notice the situation and pull the boy out of the pool. Despite the efforts of the pool's lifeguard and a doctor who happened to be present, the attempts to revive the boy were unsuccessful.

The swimming stadium, equipped with a lifeguard's seat, had no lifeguard on duty at the time of the incident, leaving the young boy without immediate assistance.

In response to the tragedy, the swimming stadium has been temporarily closed, and efforts are underway to negotiate compensation with the boy's family.

An investigation team has been established by local authorities to examine the incident, according to a statement from the market watchdog in Yanyuan County.

Amidst the public outcry, questions have emerged on social media about the accountability of the individuals present at the pool who failed to respond to the boy's distress.

Lawyer Liu Bang, from Shanghai Xieli(Zhengzhou) Law Firm, said that businesses must fulfill their safety obligations to customers, as mandated by China's Civil Code.

However, he clarified that other customers at the pool should not be held liable for the incident, drawing a distinction between the responsibilities of the venue operators and individual visitors.