Pointing out the safety regulations of the Victorian pools, a coroner has called for the mandatory need to set up a government body to ensure safety at Victorian public pools. Coroner Audrey Jamieson pointed out after her inquest into the tragic drowning of 23 year old Paul Rayudu, an Indian student in 2014.
Rayudu was at the WaterMarc aquatic centre in Greensborough along with his girlfriend Virajitha Kelangi. He was found submerged at 7.30pm on February 2, 2014. Though he was taken to hospital, he died there six days later.
Virajitha Kelangi was discovered floating face down by other swimmers and was hospitalized, however she later recovered from the incident.
While delivering her findings into the inquest, Ms Jamieson told the significance of creating a State Government body to ensure the safety of the pool and that no such tragedies are repeated. According to the reports, Paul Rayudu was one of seven people in two years to drown at a public pool.
Ms Jamieson also pointed out that the pool was not properly supervised when the pair who were not so confident swimmers couldn’t swim. "I am satisfied that there is clear and cogent evidence that Paul Rayudu's death could have been prevented. No one should drown at a public pool," she added.
Research by the Coroners Prevention Unit shows there were 14 confirmed and suspected drownings at Victorian public pools between 2000 and 2015, half of those occurring between 2014 and 2015.
