Police are investigating an incident in which an Australian boy drowned at the Nyali Reef Hotel’s swimming pool in Mombasa.
This happened as his family was on vacation.
The family originally from South Sudan was on vacation in Mombasa when the incident happened on Christmas Eve.
Police said boy was discovered drowned at mid-day as the other revelers enjoyed their time at the facility.
Police said they are investigating the tragedy amid complaints from the family members that some officers had been compromised.
A family spokesman said they are devastated.
He added they flew the body to Nairobi on Sunday pending a decision where he will be buried.
Police said they are investigating the matter and they have recorded statements from staff who were present.
They said the family had complained of negligence on the side of the hotel.
The hotel general manager Jarso Halake said they are handling the matter with the police and that efforts to address it are ongoing.
“We have talked and solved the matter with all concerned parties,” he said without elaborating further.
Such incidents are common at swimming pools with officials blaming lack of adequate attendants to monitor activities there.
Officials said hotels had been advised to increase surveillance and especially at the pools to address such tragedies given the number of visitors expected in the festive season.
Most facilities were fully booked which necessitated the deployment of more personnel to address the demand.
Elsewhere, a seven year old boy died after a snake bite in Hindi, Lamu County.
The incident happened on December 26 before the boy succumbed two days later, police and the family said.
The boy was at their home playing with other children when he stepped on the snake.
The snake bite him in the leg before he was rushed to Mokowe Health Centre where he died.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
