– Weak swimmer at school
– Boy’s drowning incident at camp.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A devastating incident occurred on May 21, 2021, at Belfast Aquatics in Port Fairy, Victoria’s southwest. Cooper Onyett, a grade 2 student from Merrivale Primary School in Warrnambool, tragically drowned during a school trip organized by the school.
The school had sent permission slips and medical forms to parents prior to the trip, inquiring about their children’s swimming abilities. Cooper’s mother indicated that he was a beginner swimmer with little to no experience in shallow water. However, crucial information about the students’ swimming capabilities was not relayed to the pool before the excursion.
Upon arrival at the aquatic centre, the grade 2 students were asked to indicate if they could swim. Those who claimed they could swim were directed to an inflatable obstacle course in the deep end of the pool. Unfortunately, many of these students were later identified as weak swimmers and had to be moved to the shallow end for safety.
Tragically, Cooper was among the children classified as weak swimmers. Despite being redirected to the shallow area, he was spotted venturing into the deep end and onto the inflatable obstacle course, where he was instructed to disembark. Subsequently, a fellow swimmer noticed Cooper floating underwater and initially assumed he was simply holding his breath. After realizing the gravity of the situation, attempts to resuscitate him proved futile, and he passed away.
Following this heartbreaking incident, the Victoria education department pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations related to Cooper’s untimely death. The department admitted its failure to ensure that individuals besides employees were not exposed to risks. The court was informed that had the children’s swimming abilities been communicated to Belfast Aquatics, this tragedy could have potentially been averted.
Legal Proceedings and Responsibility
During the plea hearing, Judge Claire Quin queried government barrister Carmen Currie about the purpose of collecting information on the students’ swimming abilities if it was not shared with the pool. Currie explained that the data was primarily gathered for planning purposes, and it was the responsibility of the pool to request this information.
However, Judge Quin raised valid concerns about the department’s reliance on external parties to fulfill its obligations. She emphasized the importance of proactive communication between schools and activity providers to ensure the safety of students during outings.
As a result of this tragic event, the education department has implemented mandatory measures requiring schools to disclose students’ swimming abilities to pool facilities. Despite this, there is uncertainty about whether this disclosure would have altered the management of activities at Belfast Aquatics on the day of the incident.
Upcoming Sentencing and Accountability
Port Fairy Community Pool Management has also admitted to breaching health and safety regulations in connection to Cooper’s drowning. Judge Quin is scheduled to pass sentences on both the education department and the pool management on May 31.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety measures and effective communication in educational excursions. While no amount of legal action can undo the tragedy that occurred, it is imperative that steps are taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
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– weak swimmer before camp drowning
– school knew boy was a weak swimmer.
