Boys were part of a group that got into trouble; three were rescued but the other two could not be saved
The bodies of two schoolboys were found at a beach in the Binh Thuan Province in southern Vietnam after they drowned while swimming.
Doan Cong Thanh and Tran Van Dau – Grade 9 students thought to be about 15 years old – were found on May 19 at a beach in Ham Tien Ward in Phan Thiet City, Viet Nam News reported. Phan Thiet is east and slightly north of Ho Chi Minh, the biggest city in the country’s south.
The boys were swimming with three friends but encountered difficulties in the water. The boys swam for a few minutes before signaling for help.
A rescue team immediately brought three of them to the shore while the other two could not be found for 10 minutes, by which time both were in a coma. The boys were taken to a local hospital but could not be revived.
In Vietnam, drowning is one of the main causes of death among children – more than 2,000 drown every year.
A report by government officials said a lack of swimming skills, poor supervision and natural disasters claimed the lives of more than 3,000 children between 2010 and 2015.
- Asia Times