VietNamNet Bridge – The recent news of children drowning in some provinces has raised alarms about the severity of the problem as the hot summer months get underway. Media reported that 14 children died in the first three weeks of May. In a recent serious accident, nine schoolboys from the same class drowned after jumping into a river in the central province of Quang Ngai on April 15. Despite efforts to reduce the number of children drowning, the situation is still tragic. A survey by the Child Care and Protection Department found that only 35 per cent of children in the Mekong Delta and 10 per cent in the Hong (Red) River Delta can swim. The rate of children who can swim in cities is lower than rural areas, according to the department. With such low rates, drowning risks are still high, said Dang Hoa Nam, the department’s director. “It’s so sad hearing that every year when the summer vacation comes,” said Tran To Mai, a mother of a fourth grade student. … [Read more...] about Duty of parents, society to curb child drownings
Drowning incident
3 kids drown while bathing in Hanoi river
Day River in Hanoi's Hoai Duc District where two boys and a girl drowned while bathing on Thursday. Photo credit: Dan Tri … [Read more...] about 3 kids drown while bathing in Hanoi river
Tarzan game halted after drowning incident
The adventure sport "Tarzan game" has been halted at the Bo Cap Vang ecological tourism site in Dong Nai province after a woman drowned last weekend while playing it. 24-year-old Phuong drowned at the site on the afternoon of Feb. 22 after she jumped from a cable into the river, a routine part of the game. The eco-tourist site, 20km away from Ho Chi Minh City, is a popular place for camping and outdoor activities for people from HCMC, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai. Nguyen Viet Hung, the tourism site's manager, told Tuoi Tre on Sunday that the Tarzan game had attracted many tourists. According to Hung, participants in the Tarzan game are required to wear life jackets in line with the tourist site's regulations. Hung said that prior to the incident, Phuong and her friends had played the Tarzan game many times. But when Phuong jumped into the water for the last time, the life jacket came off her body, causing her to drown. He added that after learning of the incident, rescuers … [Read more...] about Tarzan game halted after drowning incident
Woman drowns at Bo Cap Vang eco-tourist site
A young woman drowned at the Bo Cap Vang Ecological Tourism Site in the southern province of Dong Nai on Saturday after she jumped from a cable into the river as part of an adventure sport. The victim was identified as 24-year-old Phuong, who traveled to the site together with a group of friends from Ho Chi Minh City. The life jacket came off Phuong's body after she challenged herself with a Tarzan game (jumping into the water) at the tourist site, leading to her tragic drowning. "She raised her hands up to call for help. Many tourists on shore called the site's staff amid a chaotic scene" - an eyewitness told VnExpress. Other eyewitnesses said a rescuer jumped into the water but turned his head back to the shore after swimming for a few meters. "Some rescuers paddled a canoe but failed to start it immediately" - Bach Phong Bao, a witness at the scene, told VnExpress. Bao added the rescuers on a canoe arrived at the drowning scene 20 minutes later but it was too … [Read more...] about Woman drowns at Bo Cap Vang eco-tourist site
Child drowning incidents decline
Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) Doan Mau Diep said the rate of child drowning is still high. Statistics showed that 1,708 children lost their lives due to drowning last year, mainly in summertime. In the first half of this year, the figure amounted to nearly 700. The plan on preventing child drowning is being carried out nationwide from 2012 to 2015, with the aim of reducing the number of child deaths by drowning by 25 percent compared to the 2010 figure. The deputy minister urged ministries, departments and local authorities to learn from international experience in this connection. Nguyen Trong An, deputy head of MoLISA’s Child Care and Protection Department said more than 40 cities and provinces have worked out their own plans of action to reinforce the waterway traffic safety regulations and build a safe environment for local children. Over 500,000 households are committed to building safe houses while some 200 … [Read more...] about Child drowning incidents decline