Laurence Dollimore
A HOLIDAYMAKER at the resort where three British-American family members drowned yesterday says they are shocked that the pool has been reopened today.
According to the visiting Brit, the swimming pool which claimed the lives of a girl, 9, and her brother and father, aged 16 and 53 respectively, has been left opened and unmanned.
“I’m staying in the apartment opposite where it happened,” the tourist, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Olive Press today.
“I was just shocked that after yesterday’s awful occurrence the pool would be open and still unmanned.
“It’s like nothing has happened.”
It comes as the Guardia Civil told this paper that the most important part of the investigation is the autopsies, being carried out today.
A spokesperson told the Olive Press today: “We can confirm that yesterday, at around 1.30pm, three members of the same British-American family drowned at a swimming pool at the Club La Costa resort in the municipality of Mijas.
“A 9-year-old girl first entered the pool and came into trouble. Her brother and father, aged 16 and 53, jumped in to try and save her and also drowned.
“Emergency staff who arrived at the scene could do nothing to revive them.
“Guardia Civil Malaga have taken over the investigation and specialist investigators from Grupo Especial de Actividades Subacuáticas (GEAS) de la Benemérita, have been inspecting the pool to figure out exactly what happened.
“The pump theory is being considered but our investigation remains open.
“The most important thing right now in the investigation is the autopsies, which have been scheduled to take place today.”
According to Europa Press, the family had arrived a few days ago and were staying in one of the resort’s apartments from December 21 – 28.
After the mother and brother raised the alarm, workers at the resort rushed to the pool.
One of the employees, an experienced swimmer, is reported to have helped recover the bodies from the water before reporting to the arriving officers how difficult it was to get out of the pool.
Several employees and another tourist frantically tried to perform CPR before the resort’s doctor arrived and coordinated first aid ahead of the arrival of the emergency services.
A holidaymaker staying at the resort said she saw ‘bodies covered in white sheets’ by the side of the pool, and could hear ‘a woman crying aloud’.
Tanya Aamer, 23, from Birmingham, told Sky News: “The atmosphere as I was walking past is indescribable.
“Obviously we’ve never been in that situation before so we kind just began walking slowly in a slight state of confusion as to what we’re witnessing and eventually when we got to the bottom it was just silent, no talking or anything.”
Another witness who helped perform CPR described the scene to Diario Sur as ‘horrific’.
Psychologists have been on hand for those affected by the tragic incident.
CLC World Resorts & Hotels, which manages the resort, told the Olive Press yesterday: “Management at Club La Costa World resort would like to offer its heartfelt condolences to the family affected by the loss of three family members on December 24 2019.
“The guests were found unresponsive in one of the resort’s pools.
“First response teams and emergency services attended and administered first aid.
“The management are assisting the authorities fully with their investigation into the deaths.
“We would like to thank our first response team and the emergency services for their quick and appropriate responses and our staff for the continuing support of the family at this time.”
CLC World Resorts has not commented on the pool being reopened.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are offering assistance to a British woman following an incident in Spain.”
