Mermaid Pools: Man drowns while swimming with mates near Tahmoor
THE quick thinking of bystanders may have saved the life of a 23-month-old boy who nearly drowned in a lake near Wisemans Ferry this morning.
NSW
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THE quick thinking of bystanders may have saved the life of a 23-month-old boy who nearly drowned in a lake near Wisemans Ferry this morning.
The toddler is in The Children’s Hospital, Westmead in a stable condition.
Police have praised the actions of bystanders for saving the young boy’s life.
“We understand first aid was administered to the child as soon as he was pulled from the water,” Detective Chief Inspector Garry Sims from the Hawksbury Local Area Command said.
“I believe the first aid skills of those nearby made a big difference to the outcome of today’s incident, and I commend these skills as something we all should learn.
“It does mean the difference between life and death.”
It comes as a friend of drowning victim Adnan Kahn-Alfridi said he had told them he was not a good swimmer shortly before the tragedy.
The 27-year-old Pakistani national was swimming at the secluded Mermaid Pools swimming hole in Tahmoor, south west of Sydney, December 30 when he went underwater.
He was pulled unconscious from the water at about 12.30pm and died at the scene soon after.
He was the 12th of 14 drowning deaths across the state this holiday season.
Close friend Sharif Afridi said Adnan had only graduated from a Bachelor of Accounting a few months ago.
He was planning on staying in Australia.
“His graduation was scheduled in February 2017, he wanted to stay in Australia and he collected all his documents for applying for permanent residency,” he said.
“He loved Australia, until he died here.
“He was a nice person, very kind hearted and very respectful.”
Sharif said that Adnan’s younger brother had wanted to come to Australia.
“But now after this tragedy I don’t think his parents will agree to send their other son here,” he said.
NSW Marine Area Commander Superintendent Mark Hutchings has urged swimmers to “read the hazards” and assess their environment before taking the plunge, amid fears increasing temperatures will send holiday-makers flocking to beaches and rivers.
Inquiries are continuing after the death of a man who had been swimming at Brighton Le Sands.
At about 4pm, emergency services were called to The Grand Parade, following reports that a man was pulled from the water unconscious.
The man had been at Lady Robinson’s Beach at the time.
Pakistani national Adnan Khan-Afridi, 27, plunged to his death, diving more than 20m into a waterhole known as Mermaid Pools in Tahmoor, south west of Sydney.
Onlookers raised the alarm when he began thrashing around in the water signalling for help.
He was pulled out of the water unconscious by paramedics who rushed to resuscitate him but was pronounced dead at the spot considered to be sacred in Aboriginal culture.
Friends paid tribute to Mr Khan-Afridi on Facebook.
Sharif Afridi posted: “One of my friend passed away during picnic, he drowned in Mermaid Pool, we had dinner together last night, he had the best personality, he was kind hearted and respectful person, I am shocked and deeply hurt. RIP Adnan Afridi, I will miss you forever.”
Another friend, Asim Awan, wrote: “Adnan Afridi 27 years old one of our Pakistani brother, Canberra resident passed away in Sydney. May Allah rest his soul in peace.”
His death came as a 46-year-old man died despite paramedics’ desperate attempts to save his life performing CPR after he drowned at the Kolora Lake Reserve at Yamba at 2pm.
Also adding to the toll is a 42-year-old man whose body was found washed up after he never made it back from a dip in waters at Wagga Wagga Beach on the Murrumbidgee River two days earlier.
Peter 'Pace' Abd-El-Kaddous was dragged under the waters by the weight of his heavy jean shorts, police believe.
Superintendent Hutchings said: “Whether you’re going to the beach, a river, lake or swimming pool, it’s important to know the conditions and possible hazards in the area,” he said.
“The appearance of many waterways can be deceiving, whether it is depth, current, temperature or submerged objects, so it’s important to check before you get in — or you might be caught out.
“Unfortunately, we find that many drownings and near-drownings could have been prevented by heeding safety messages from police, lifesavers and maritime authorities.”
The incidents follows a string of holiday drownings, including discovery of a body at Sydney’s Maroubra Beach during the search for missing teen Tu’ipulotu “Tui” Gallaher today.
The family of 14-year-old Tui said they were left “heartbroken” by news of his death with aunt Malia Niukapu Rudoi telling the Daily Telegraph: “We are thankful he is found so we can have closure.
“We haven’t figure out the funeral arrangements yet. Two of my sisters are on their way to Australia from Auckland and my eldest sister who raised Tu’ipulotu when he was very young wants to see him one last time.”
Last week the bodies of 23-month-old twins Robbi and Charli Manago were found floating in the family pool at their home in Kellyville Ridge.
Curly-haired Charli died in hospital on Boxing Day and her brother lost his nine-day fight for life on Thursday.
A neighbour said: “It doesn’t matter that this tragedy happened over Christmas; they will never get over something like this, it’s just made it a whole lot worse.
“They are inconsolable.”
The body of a 25-year-old man was recovered from water at Greendale in western Sydney on Tuesday after he drowned while swimming with friends at a Nepean river waterhole within the Bents Basin state conservation area.
A 56-year-old man drowned at Merry beach at Kioloa on the NSW south coast and a 27-year-old man died at Kangaroo Valley in the Shoalhaven region during a Boxing Day swim at a picnic ground.
On Christmas Day a 27-year-old man drowned in the Wattamolla lagoon at the Royal National Park, south of Sydney.
Reports released this month by the Royal Life Saving Society and Surf Life Saving Australia show the bulk of people who drown at Australian beaches or while using boats or watercraft are males.
Alcohol and drugs are listed as common contributing factors.
A 73-year-old man is also fighting for his life in St George Hospital after he was pulled unconscious from the water at Brighton Le Sands this afternoon.
Emergency Services were called to the scene about 4pm with emergency services working on the man at the scene before he was rushed to hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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