Bank employee practising swimming drowns in YMCA pool at Nandanam

Police said Balasubramaniam, a resident of Neelankarai, who works in a private bank at Ramapuram, had gone to the swimming pool along with his friend on Saturday evening. Balasubramaniam had been practising swimming for a few days. 

“He told his friend that he has learnt swimming at an area where the depth is only five feet. But when he developed confidence, Balasubramaniam started venturing out to the deeper areas as well. Balasurbamaniam’s friend, even while enjoying time in the pool, kept an eye on him. However, after some time Balasurbamaniam suddenly went missing,” Saidapet inspector Vijaya Kumar told DTNext.

Balasubramaniam’s friend thought he would have gone to the toilet. But when he failed to return even after a while, he got out of the pool and started searching for him. He then found Balasubramaniam’s wallet, mobile phone and clothes on one side of the pool. 

“He immediately informed the pool authorities and life guards, who started searching for the missing man in the pool. They found Balasubramaniam lying in the deeper portion of the pool and brought him out of the water,” the Inspector added. 

He was rushed to a hospital in Saidapet, where doctors declared him brought dead. The body was taken to the Government Royapettah Hospital for post mortem. Police said, Balasubramaniam could have gone to the deeper area of the pool and drowned. 

Lack of proper monitoring is a major safety concern in swimming pools in the city. On Saturday morning, an 8-year-old Andrea drowned in a pool, in front of her parents and trainer, at VV Swimming Academy in Mogappair, while taking training lessons.

Andrea’s parents were sitting on chairs on the edge of the pool, encouraging her. She had done three laps, but reportedly took in a lot of water in the process. At the end of the fourth lap, she collapsed and drowned. Andrea was pulled out of the pool immediately and given first aid. However, she did not respond to the cardio pulmonary resuscitation. 

The pool authorities rushed her to the Sundaram Medical Foundation where she was declared brought dead.