Swimmers told to mind safety before diving in

• Source: Global Times
• [08:51 July 22 2010]
• Comments

By Liu Dong

Authorities are reminding residents to resist the urge to take a dip in public places that caution against the activity, after the bodies of two drowning victims in the city were found early Wednesday morning.

One body belonged to a 48-year-old migrant worker who drowned while swimming in the Huangpu River near the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology in northeastern Yangpu district, where he was employed to do renovation work during the summer months. Police believe that the man was unable to swim well enough to handle the current.

The other body was found near Hangzhou Bay at a beach belonging to an amusement park in southwestern Jinshan district. The 19-year-old student from Anhui Province, who was studying at a vocational school in the city, is said to have drowned after swimming far off into an open area that was marked restricted by a warning sign, according to local media reporting.

"These drowning accidents are a real tragedy," a press officer surnamed Yao for the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, who preferred not to give his full name, told the Global Times. "But residents can learn from these.

"People need to first mind their own physical conditions and capabilities before getting into the water," he said. "It's also very important that residents mind any warning signs that are posted in these areas to avoid risk or danger."

Yao said that while the park should at least take some responsibility in the matter, he also admitted that such tragedies are more common in the summertime, when the temperatures rise and residents find it hard not to cool off by swimming in outdoor areas.

According to a report by the Shanghai Youth Protection Committee released last year, drowning has become the No.1 killer for students during the summer holidays. Last July and August, drowning accidents claimed the lives of some 20 students.

Yao from the tourism bureau added that unfortunately, such cases are common every year.

"Most of them happen outdoors in public places, which is why we have regular inspections at these swimming areas to make sure everything is in order," he said. "But it's impossible for us to be everywhere all the time to catch every single incident.