Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
An eight-year-old boy has drowned in the pool of a five-star hotel after the lifeguards decided to take a break at the same time.
The boy had been left with his uncle who believed the child was safe when he went up to his room briefly to plug his mobile phone into the charger.
The Guler family was on holiday at the unnamed five-star hotel in the district of Alanya in the south-western Turkish province of Antalya when the tragic incident took place.
The incident happened shortly after check-in, when Ali Kemal Guler, 8, and his uncle, Okan Guler, went for a swim in the pool while Ali Kemal’s parents were still settling into their room.
A short while later, Okan left the pool to go to his hotel room to charge his phone, leaving Ali Kemal in the pool without any of his older relatives.
According to news site DHA, when Okan returned to the Olympic-size pool, he found his nephew floating motionless in the water.
The youngster was taken out of the pool and received prompt medical attention. However, the medical staff were unable to save him.
The police opened an investigation into the incident and arrested three suspects responsible for pool safety, Gokhan A., 36, Ahmet O., 33, and Murat K., 25, who they took to the police station for questioning.
The cops learnt that the three men had not been at their place of duty when Ali Kemal drowned. They were taken to court on Wednesday, 11th August, and were provisionally released under judicial control.
Ali Kemal’s funeral took place at the Gokbez Mahallesi Cemetery in his hometown in the district of Pozanti in the southern province of Adana.
It was attended by his mother, housewife Ayse Gurer, his father, armed forces member Uzeyir Gurer, and other relatives. The couple has another child, Alya, who is two years old.
Local media reported that Ayse had a nervous breakdown during the funeral and that Uzeyir could hardly stand and had to be propped up by his relatives.
It was not reported when the trial will begin.
