A SEVEN year old boy is fighting for his life after a near-drowning incident at a popular hotel in uMhlanga. According to Marshall Security’s Kyle van Reenen the boy was found floating unresponsive in the hotel swimming pool.

“Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 2pm, after the boy was found floating unresponsive in the hotel swimming pool. He was pulled out of the water and found to be in a state of cardiac arrest. A guest at the hotel who happened to be a qualified medical doctor, immediately initiated Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) while a call for assistance was made.

“A joint effort between Marshall Security’s Medical Support Team and Crisis Medical, under the guidance and supervision of a Netcare 911 Emergency Care Advanced Life Support Practitioner, saw paramedics work fervently for over 45 minutes before a pulse was restored,” he said.

The boy was immediately rushed by ambulance to Umhlanga Hospital where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

According to Chris Botha, Netcare 911 spokesman, paramedics were relieved after working fervently on the boy.

“Paramedics were overcome with emotion after the child started to breathe again. This just proves that early CPR works, it is advisable that everyone should do a CPR course,” he said.