Primary school teacher drowns in swimming pool

Kalangala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Bufumira Primary School teacher Maria Flavia Nakyejwe died after drowning on Monday in a swimming pool in Kalangala. Nakyejwe drowned in the swimming pool at Pearl Gardens Beach in Kalangala.

According to an eyewitness Margaret Namanda, the incident happened between 5:30 pm and 6 pm on Monday. “Nakyejwe dived into the swimming pool to join three other swimmers. But after three minutes, the swimmers alerted the guide that Nakyejwe was at the bottom of the pool,” says Namanda.

Namanda further explains that the guide who was standing at the poolside dived into the pool and with help of the swimmers and removed Nakyejwe from the swimming pool.

She adds that the guide thereafter carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a lifesaving technique used in emergency situations when someone’s heartbeat or breathing has stopped.

“I think she swallowed a lot of water inside the pool because she was in the deep end. But the guide and beach managers tried their best to save her life,” says Namanda.

Nakyejwe was then rushed to Kalangala health centre IV. But she was later pronounced dead. Her body is still at the mortuary. She will be buried on Wednesday in Saaza village in Masaka district.

James Mugoya Nandu, the Kalangala Police Community Liaison Officer says police officers visited the beach last night and are awaiting the postmortem report to establish the cause of death and guide on the next course of action

Pearl Beach Gardens is owned by former Bukoto West MP Mulindwa Birimumaaso.

Kalangala residents led by Fred Kateregga Masakaate say there is a need for management to recruit and deploy many attendants at the swimming pool and beach, especially on public holidays and the festive season.

He recalls a recent incident where a student of Lubiri SS nearly drowned to death and was rescued by another swimmer.

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