British Boy Drowned Under Whirlpool In Pattaya Water Park

[george]

British boy drowned under whirlpool in a Pattaya water park

PATTAYA: -- A British boy was found dead under a whirlpool at the Pattaya Park yesterday. It remains unclear how Naytin Clark, 14, got stuck in the engine room.

Police are investigating into his death.

The victim visited the Pattaya Park with five other family members.

"After he mysteriously disappeared, I kept looking for him and noticed that a cover under the whirlpool was left open. I reported this to lifeguards but they wouldn't believe me," the victim's stepmother Jintana Clark said tearfully.

The Thai woman had raised the boy since he was five years old.

"Only one more hour passed did the lifeguards agreed to check the engine room and found his body," Jintana said.

-- The Nation 2009-07-10

[jtp]

Devastating for the family.Incredible incompetence of the lifeguards to take one hour to search the whirlpool engine room considering the cover was missing.

[khundon]

"Lifeguards" what an oxymoron.

RIP.

[Deke]

I don't understand. How can an engine room be underwater?

[bbw]

and What about all the other unfortunate deaths in Thailand every day

people die every day, but each one is still sad, especially when it's a 14 year old. :-(

[bangkapiboy]

Need to see a photo of what this Engine room and door looks like. Why would he be in there?

[Phuketian]

Whatever the circumstances this is nothing but an unmitigated deeply sad tragedy. Blame and calls of incompetence add nothing so why bother to make them. The only thing to express here is profound regret that one so young was taken, regardless of how.

Deepest sympathy to the family who will face weeks and months of soul searching and loss.

[Steele404]

I seriously need to see some pics to see this "engine room"

[peecee]

vERY SAD, SHE'S THAI & COULDN'T GET ANY ACTION FROM THE ATTENDENT'S! BUT IT'S THE OLD ADAGE "PAY PEANUT'S & GET MONKEY'S."

[saintofsilence]

I am not sure but they may be talking about a grate being left open in the pool where the water is filtered through .

Rip

[Thara]

Whatever the circumstances this is nothing but an unmitigated deeply sad tragedy. Blame and calls of incompetence add nothing so why bother to make them. The only thing to express here is profound regret that one so young was taken, regardless of how.

Deepest sympathy to the family who will face weeks and months of soul searching and loss.

Well put

[BigSnake]

So SAD indeed, on the surface looks like a tragic accident, let's wait and see> RIP

[Johpa]

I seriously need to see some pics to see this "engine room"

You seriously need to be better able to note when an awkward translation has been used.

[glegolo]

British boy drowned under whirlpool in a Pattaya water park

PATTAYA: -- A British boy was found dead under a whirlpool at the Pattaya Park yesterday. It remains unclear how Naytin Clark, 14, got stuck in the engine room.

---------------------------

We just came from there 2 weeks ago, had a great day in pattaya park. cannot even remember that i saw how it was

possible to find a way to drown there????

Anyhow terrible.. and lifeguards.. must be a joke... sorry for the family.

Glegolo

[Minniefarang]

That's just awful.

[yugobrian]

A tragedy - my heart goes out to the mother and the rest of the family.

49 children in the state of Texas have already drowned this year. See:

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/Alarmin...ning_death_rate

[lor]

Whatever the circumstances this is nothing but an unmitigated deeply sad tragedy. Blame and calls of incompetence add nothing so why bother to make them. The only thing to express here is profound regret that one so young was taken, regardless of how.

Deepest sympathy to the family who will face weeks and months of soul searching and loss.

I am sure they mean a lot to the Parents! When their child may still be alive if the guards did their job correctly!

Chris

[saintofsilence]

Pattaya Park

[JamesMemphis]

I seriously need to see some pics to see this "engine room"

I am no water park scientist, but I would think there was a large pump used to circulate the water. Just like air flow it would have an in and out flow. The missing grate/cover would be the point that someone could get sucked into the pipe and ....I do not want to think about the rest!!!

It is sad that we try to blame others when we know nothing really. It sounds like Texas is more dangerous than Thailand. Peanuts? I am sure you know a lot about nuts

I feel sorry for this family...RIP

[Oberkommando]

Thailand's water parks have a history of poor safety.

Last year there were 4 fatalities at Suan Siam (Siam Park City) when the water ride broke. There was another accident on the log ride not long after that, fortunately no-one was killed.

[sangfroid]

At several points around the pool there are water pumps which make the water circulate, these are fed through heavy looking metal grilles in the floor of the pool.(around a meter square} Water is sucked in through these grills by pumps on the side of the pool and is expelled again at force through angled pipes in the wall of the pool providing the circulating effect. I wonder if one of the grills in the floor of the pool has been removed for maintenance or some such thing and not properly replaced. With no grill it would be easy for someone to be sucked in to the duct there and it would be almost impossible to get out.

Edited July 10, 2009 by sangfroid

[jtp]

Whatever the circumstances this is nothing but an unmitigated deeply sad tragedy. Blame and calls of incompetence add nothing so why bother to make them. The only thing to express here is profound regret that one so young was taken, regardless of how.

Deepest sympathy to the family who will face weeks and months of soul searching and loss.

Because blames and calls of incompetence may save another childs life.I would want someone held responsible,as i am sure would you,if it was someone you loved.

[Sisaketmike]

British boy drowned under whirlpool in a Pattaya water park

PATTAYA: -- A British boy was found dead under a whirlpool at the Pattaya Park yesterday. It remains unclear how Naytin Clark, 14, got stuck in the engine room.

Police are investigating into his death.

The victim visited the Pattaya Park with five other family members.

"After he mysteriously disappeared, I kept looking for him and noticed that a cover under the whirlpool was left open. I reported this to lifeguards but they wouldn't believe me," the victim's stepmother Jintana Clark said tearfully.

The Thai woman had raised the boy since he was five years old.

"Only one more hour passed did the lifeguards agreed to check the engine room and found his body," Jintana said.

-- The Nation 2009-07-10

First I've got to say that I feel very very sorry for those who lost this boy who died because of some stupid people. Secondly the 'lifeguards' should be renamed into deathguards. I was there a long time ago and even the sliders at this park were very dangerous for those who just wanted to have fun. But i always kept an eye on our son. Children like to play......and isn't that what it's all about? A fun park where people die because of the stupididy of people who aren't there when they should be. let him Rest In Peace. Tears in Heaven. E. C. ( Eric Clapton.

[webfact]

I think it is not appropriate to speculate on the circumstances which caused the death of a 14 year old.

The known facts so far are only superficially, not proven yet.

And until then, everything is just speculation. My deepest condolences to the family.

Edited July 10, 2009 by webfact

[saintofsilence]

At several points around the pool there are water pumps which make the water circulate, these are fed through heavy looking metal grilles in the floor of the pool.(around a meter square} Water is sucked in through these grills by pumps on the side of the pool and is expelled again at force through angled pipes in the wall of the pool providing the circulating effect. I wonder if one of the grills in the floor of the pool has been removed for maintenance or some such thing and not properly replaced. With no grill it would be easy for someone to be sucked in to the duct there and it would be almost impossible to get out.

I agree with you my thoughts also , I was there a couple of years ago and I remember those big floor grates and the suction was very strong.

[misterphil]

Just been watching the Thai news and they are saying that it looks like he has lifted up the grate on the bottom of the pool and swam under and got stuck.

3 Thai men managed to lift out the grate easily under the water so I would of thought a 14 year British lad could easily lift it.

Question is why arent these grates secured?

[ChiangMaiFurnishedApts]

Injuries from these types of intake vents are not uncommon. If an adult finds the suction strong then you can imagine how strong the suction it is for a kid.

Here is a case in Canada where a kid lost both of his legs in an intake pipe.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/20...al.html?ref=rss

Horrible way to go.

[AronD]

A 14 year old kid would be smart enough to know that jumping in a water hole that was supposed to be covered is a bad idea. I hope they do a good autopsy on him to make sure he wasn't attacked or killed before he entered the water.

[BarryM]

I made the mistake of going down the water slide a few years back. The water at the bottom was so shallow I smashed my heels really badly.

The place was an accident waiting to happen. Looks like one has. I'm sure it won't be the last sadly.

[Wiresok]

How deep is the pool at the grates in question

Anybody know?